The former Olympic gymnast interviewed on «Verissimo» talks about the oppression she suffered as an athlete and her post-sports life
On «Verissimo», in Silvia Toffanin’s living room on Canale 5, Carlotta Ferlito, a former internationally renowned gymnast, spoke about herself with an open heart. She retraced the stages of her life, from sporting successes to the most difficult challenges. She has participated in two Olympics: London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016. She retired in 2019 and graduated with honors in Communications, Media and Advertising from the Iulm University of Milan. She then participated in the talent show «Dance Dance Dance 2» in 2018 and published three books. Subsequently, however, she also decided to deal with the dark side of her sporting experience, also talking about the negative aspects and sporting humiliations. “No little girl should be slapped, humiliated if she asks to go to the bathroom, forced to do exercises where she risks her neck just as a punishment,” Carlotta Ferlito said in a monologue to “Le Iene”.
Concepts reiterated to Silvia Toffanin: «Being called a pig for daring to eat an extra biscuit. I spoke with the belief that if you try to make your voice heard, eventually someone will listen to you. This sport cannot and must no longer be made up of psychological and physical violence. I want to decide how, when and where my career begins and ends, to be autonomous, even uncomfortable if necessary, to not obey anyone. Every day I try to improve, just like I did in the past as an athlete, only today I do it as a person, as a woman. And this time I do it alone, without anyone who can decide for me what is right and what is wrong.”
Carlotta has only one big regret: «One thing I carry with me, my skeleton in the closet, is not having chosen the end of my career. When you stop training as much, your body inevitably changes. Eating disorders? When I left those four walls of the gym and faced the outside world, I felt less and less confident. From there I started not seeing myself anymore, not eating anymore. I only felt loved and appreciated when I was a gymnast and went toOlympics. Then I discovered it in therapy: it was as if people no longer loved me.” These for Carlotta These weren’t easy times. Her mother, Roberta, was diagnosed with ALS in 2022: “My mother won’t be here for much longer,” she said Carlotta, moved. And again: «I can’t wait until her pain can stop existing. Trust me, seeing mom pass away day after day is the greatest pain I have ever felt in my life and I think I will never feel a greater one. Mom doesn’t want to be intubated. Everyone should be able to decide when their life no longer makes sense to live.” These days Mrs Roberta she was transferred to a hospice: «When they fixed her up, they made us leave the room and when we came back she told us “Don’t treat me stupid”, letting us understand that she is still present and that she wants to help us manage this situation ». Her father, however, had a heart attack in October 2023. Now he is out of danger.
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April 29, 2024 (changed April 29, 2024 | 10:20)
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