Featured Image Credit: Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Topics: Olympics, Sport, World News, News
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Olympics, Sport, World News, News
Dutch speed-skater Jutta Leerdam has found herself at the centre of quite the controversy this week, after allegedly exhibiting 'diva-ish' behaviour on her way to the Winter Olympics in Milan.
The 27-year-old athlete - who just so happens to be the fiancée of controversial social media star turned 'pro' boxer Jake Paul - landed in Italy last week (6 Feb) for the commencement of this year's Games.
In the days since, Leerdam has secured herself gold medals in both the 1000m and 500m speed-skating events, making a double-whammy 1st place debut. The sportswoman - who currently holds the world record for women's team sprint alongside colleagues Letitia de Jong and Femke Kok - previously appeared at the Beijing Olympics in 2022, but only walked away with silver in the former category.
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Since being bestowed her accolades, Leerdam has provided her 5.8 million Instagram followers with insights into life in the Olympic village, including snaps of her and her Dutch teammates celebrating the win, and enjoying a well-deserved bowl of authentic Italian pasta.
One of the first posts she shared, however, has since sparked mass backlash for being 'out of touch'.
In one photo posted on Leerdam's Instagram story from her journey from the Netherlands to Milan, the champion could be seen posing on a private jet, donning the official colours and kit of her Dutch team. Before her, sits a trio of delicately-crafted dishes, including tuna salad, steak and shrimp.
Leerdam also shared a photograph showing a batch of bespoke cupcakes, bearing similarly orange decorations that read 'Sweet Jutta', and featured both the Dutch flag and the logo of the Olympic rings.
Several glasses of champagne could also be seen littering the rest of the private cabin, which held her fellow teammates.
"Off to Milano," she captioned the collection of snaps.
It didn't take long for Leerdam's post to attract unwanted attention, including from Dutch former soccer player and reporter, Johan Derksen, who the Daily Mail quotes as having said on air: "Her behaviour is horrible to me, like that of a diva. If I were her coach, I wouldn’t tolerate that.
"Gradually the whole of the Netherlands is starting to get a bit fed up with her behaviour."
Another social media user agreed, writing online: "As a Team NL member, flying to a sporting event in your private jet, eating sushi with your friends? That doesn’t reflect well, in my opinion."
A third went on: "A private jet like that really sets a bad example for your fans… There’s already less and less natural ice due to the climate crisis."
As we say, however, others have defended Leerdam, asking what better occasion there might be for a person to treat themselves.
One wrote online: "You get to fly private, in a luxury airplane, no commercial terminal, with comfortable seats, air that is fixed at 4000 feet so you arrive fresh, and you get to eat chef-created, wonderful food. Come on, people.
"Who in their right mind would pass that up and fly commercial? If she is dating a wealthy man who is taking care of her, then good for her. Life is better when you're rich, we all know that.
"She made the right decision; the jealous petty haters' words mean nothing."
Another added: "Good for her! Who wants to sit in a commercial flying tin can filled with nothing but germs at a time where you need to be at optimum health. She knows what she's doing."