Gastón Gaudio Faces Social Media Criticism for Photographing Homeless People

Former French Open champion Gastón Gaudio is facing widespread criticism on social media following comments about his hobby of photographing people experiencing homelessness during his international travels.

The remarks were made during a recent appearance on the streaming program Clank!, hosted by Juan Pablo Varsky, where the former Davis Cup captain spoke enthusiastically about his collection of images.

Gaudio, who won the Roland Garros title in 2004, told the host that he developed a habit of capturing images of vulnerable populations while traveling for his tennis career. As reported by Paparazzi, the former athlete described his interest in the subjects by stating, “I love going around the world taking pictures of the homeless.”

During the exchange, which visibly caused discomfort for the interviewer, Gaudio also casually compared his gallery of images depicting people living on the streets to his experiences touring with the Rolling Stones, noting that he had enjoyed himself intensely during those trips.

During the interview, Gaudio elaborated on his process, noting that his photography often led him to locations he described as “quite crappy, particular, and poor.” He specifically cited his experiences in Tunisia, telling the host, “In Tunisia, I have some photos of homeless people that would blow your mind,” according to reporting by Doble Amarilla.

The context of Tunisia is significant, as the country faces severe poverty where many individuals live on the streets without shelter; according to studies by the NGO Dar Tounes, the population most affected consists of women and children, with minors frequently dropping out of school and falling victim to sexual exploitation networks due to extreme gender inequality.

The broadcast quickly triggered a wave of negative reactions across digital platforms. Many users labeled the former tennis star’s comments as insensitive, questioning his focus on documenting extreme poverty without any accompanying effort to provide assistance. El Patagónico noted that several commenters expressed indignation, with one user calling him a “privileged” individual and others criticizing his lack of empathy.

Reactions on Instagram included sharp rebukes such as, “You’re disgusting, kid. Brainless,” and ironic remarks like, “Look how interesting this guy’s perspective is.” Another user questioned his motives, writing, “I seriously wonder what happened in your life to be such a resentful, hateful person.

I mean, is your hobby to take photos of the poor, but you don’t do anything to help people? Do you think everything is a joke?”

The choice of language used to describe his subjects became a focal point of the controversy. Critics argued that the way Gaudio referred to people living on the streets reduced their reality to a photographic pursuit.