More and more episodes in which athletes report cases of sexual harassment while they carry out their training in the open air. It is a social scourge that is repeated much more than it is believed and than it seems, and that also causes terrible torment to professionals whose training is their way of life.
These are very serious cases because they cause fear and a horrible feeling in those people who suffer from it and suffer it, preventing them from going out to train on many occasions. These are really unfortunate situations in which they experience real terror and then leave mental sequelae that are sometimes very difficult to overcome.
One of the latest cases has been the British athlete Sarah McDonald, who has reported a case of sexual harassment in one of her last trainings. Sarah has used her social networks to tell her story and to also ask for protection for herself and for all the people who are in her situation, whose workspace is outside, where anyone can try to harm them as they have been the case of her.
Sarah asks all those who run or who play sports in the street to protect themselves and take care of themselves since their usual training routes can be the place where they receive some type of harassment, yell or insult, or even someone may try to rob them or exercise some kind of violence against them.
The case experienced by Sarah McDonald has been the most unpleasant, since it occurred during one of her trips to the outside to run, at which time she had to see and feel how a man who was circulating on a moped with another individual passed by her to touch her butt: “While I was training on the path by the river, two men passed me on a moped, slowed down so that the man in the back could grab my butt.”
In addition to the disgusting sensation that this unfortunate fact can make a person feel, there is also the insecurity that exists taking into account that this gesture can lead to much more, especially if the athlete is alone at that moment. The ideas that go through the head, all dantesque, also grip and help to create a greater fear and a state of nerves even dangerous for health.
Sarah’s Calvary
Sarah McDonald is her country’s 1,500 meter champion and double European cross champion in the mixed relay event, triumphs all achieved between 2017 and 2019. However, now her grand prize will be to overcome this unfortunate incident and be able to leave to train safely and calmly to focus only on sports and not on the fear suffered.
“As a runner I have been teased and shouted things at me, but this has been completely different. Fortunately I was not alone at the time as this situation could have been worse. Until today I would have felt comfortable being alone and this has been a call from attention: be attentive and take care “.
