Body image has become more and more of an issue in recent years for men, with even top class athletes affected by that trend. The growing influence of online abuse, as well as influencers on TikTok and Instagram showing off their lean and mean physiques, has resulted in a more open conversation about the impact this dynamic can have on individuals.
Mayo footballer Aidan O’Shea is someone who has been affected by this, unfairly receiving numerous comments about how he has lost or gained weight depending on the outcome of an inter-county game.
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Aidan O'Shea Sick Of Commentator Comments About His Weight
Speaking on the GAA Social Podcast, the two-time National Football League winner spoke about the bizarre comments on his appearance he has received through the years, including from commentators.
Some of the criticism over the years has been really annoying around it. Aidan might play a bad game, that’s fine, and they might say 'he is carrying a few pounds' right, and then Aidan plays a good game six weeks later, it's 'Jesus, he’s really trimmed down'.
That terminology by commentators is, first of all, completely and utterly wrong. Like second of all, I’ve been exactly the same weight, the same. It has always been the cause.
Oh, 'Aidan played well because he stepped away from the table' or 'he went running for three weeks' and that stuff puts thoughts into people’s heads thinking that’s all Aidan’s about.
It’s quite disrespectful for someone who’s done what I done and for as long as I done, you know.
That part can be hard, and that part can be annoying I don’t mind if someone tells you Aidan had a bad game I just had a bad game that’s it that’s fine. Aidan didn’t have a good game because he didn’t have three biscuits last night.
You know this is the level of analysis it gets, and it's what people label you about as well. Oh, 'he carries weight'.
Analysis such as this certainly seems like stuff from a bygone era, especially when you consider the work that inter-county players put into their physical conditioning each year.
As a result, you could see why Aidan O'Shea might be annoyed by comments such as these.
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