Marion Bartoli's Weight Loss Is Nobody's Business But Her Own

Marion Bartoli is a Wimbledon champion. She's also a Central Saint Martins-trained fashion designer and a kick-ass sports commenter. But none of that matters, apparently, because all anyone wants to talk about is her weight.
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Marion Bartoli is a Wimbledon champion. She's also a Central Saint Martins-trained fashion designer and a kick-ass sports commenter.

But none of that matters, apparently, because all anyone wants to talk about is her weight.

Following an article in You magazine about the former tennis star's weight loss, social media has been overrun with people saying she's too thin.

Let's get one thing straight, if you write a tweet about someone's physique, no matter what their shape or size, it's not a sign of you showing your concern about their health or wellbeing.

It's body-shaming, it's dangerous and it needs to stop.

When John Inverdale (in)famously said Bartoli was "never going to be a looker" on Radio 5 Live back in 2013 the world was outraged and he apologised. Yet the scrutiny she's received from the public over the past few days has been just as bad, if not worse.

Some have said Inverdale's comments must have caused Bartoli to develop an eating disorder while others have called her an "anorexic [who] needs help".

It doesn't take a genius to work out that criticising someone's body on social media is just about the worst thing you can do to help if they really do have an eating disorder.

Not only can it make matters worse for the sufferer, but it also has the potential to make slimmer, more toned women feel self-conscious about the way that they look.

That aside, none of the people commenting on Bartoli's weight loss have bothered to listen to what she has to say on the subject.

In the You magazine article, Bartoli pointed out that back in 2013 she'd been training for one of the biggest competitions of her sporting career. She's no longer a professional athlete, so (shock horror) her diet and fitness regime have changed and as a result, so has her body.

"I built the body I needed to win Wimbledon. I was where I wanted to be. I shaped it to become a champion - my body was about power," she said.

"Now I'm sitting sketching all day rather than squat-lifting 200kg, so I'm not eating the same kind of food. When I played I fuelled my body - I used to eat more carbohydrates and drink sugary drinks on the court.

"Now I eat vegetables, salads, grains and protein shakes to give me energy for the gym."

No woman (or man) should have to justify their weight to another person but Bartoli has chosen to speak out and tell the world she is happy and healthy. It's time we all respected that and moved on with our lives.

Regardless of how or why Bartoli lost weight, body-shaming someone online is never okay. Bartoli's weight loss is nobody's business but her own.