Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu set the world record last night in the 400-meter individual medley, and won an Olympic gold medal for it. However, as soon as it happened, NBC cut to Hosszu’s husband and coach, and named him “the person responsible for her performance.” Which seems… wrong.
https://twitter.com/socarolinesays/status/762106285991010304
https://twitter.com/therealavacado/status/762112528478531584
Hearing these commentators give all the credit for Hosszu's win to her husband like pic.twitter.com/Lpfq09R8B2
— Lorna O'Neill (@lookitslorna) August 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/laurenarankin/status/762108407285485568
No @nbc commentator that man is not "responsible" for Hosszù's world record. She is. He's her coach and partner. She broke that record.
— Kathryn Dennett-Dulle (@kathryndennett) August 7, 2016
According to USA Today, Hosszu has had a long journey to the Olympics. “She had captured nine medals—including five golds—at the world championships but never won an Olympic medal.” But her relationship with her husband and coach, Shane Tusup, has been a troubled one. In a profile from the New York Times, it’s clear Tusup has had a huge influence on Hosszu’s career, but colleagues also spoke of abusive behavior from Tusup.
Obviously coaches, and spouses, provide support and, well, coaching for any athlete. But to immediately credit a man in Hosszu’s life for her victory instead of her really comes off as sexist. So to settle the score, how about we start crediting all the male victories to women now?