Swimmer Adam Peaty caused a stir on social media after his ‘entitled’ remark live on BBC following a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games. The athlete broke down in tears and responded sharply to a reporter's question.
Peaty's Frustrated Response
When the BBC reporter asked, “I can see you’re emotional. Can you just explain what those emotions are after that?” Peaty scoffed and replied: “Really? I think… I don’t know. I think I just worked a lot harder than what it says on the scoreboard, to be honest, but I think you’ve got to understand that that is this sport. You don’t get more than a minute to prove yourself. Make one mistake and it’s over.”
He added: “I don’t know, I just think I deserve more. I know sport isn’t about what you deserve, or even what you work for. I think you’ve got to keep it in perspective that we’ve still got four days left of this competition, and we’ve got Europeans, and emotion is expensive, but I just know I’m a better athlete than that.”
Social Media Backlash
Viewers quickly criticised Peaty’s attitude. One tweeted: “BBC have pushed Adam Peaty for over a decade now, still no-one likes him. Stuff like this shows you exactly why.” Another said: “I'm sure the two guys who finished in front of him also worked hard and deserved what they got. [Sore] loser springs to mind.” A third posted: “There’s a time to be classy and humble Adam - and congratulate those that finished ahead of you.”
Support for the Swimmer
Others defended Peaty. One wrote: “He’s quite honest about how he’s feeling. Reporters like to stick mikes in athletes’ faces as soon as they’ve finished a disappointing performance just to catch that raw emotion. Then blame them when they express said emotion.” Another agreed: “How have the BBC pushed him any more than they would any other person who was clearly the country's greatest ever swimmer?” A third said: “I like him! I also don’t judge people who are obviously heartbroken after a tough defeat.”
