Fourth-Place Medal

Backlash over supermodels’ role in Closing Ceremony

By Pauline Vu | Fourth-Place Medal – Mon 13 Aug, 2012

Kate MossThe Olympics Closing Ceremony is supposed to be a celebration of the athletes who, for the last 17 days, have shed blood, sweat and tears with the goal of winning glory and bringing pride to their nations (also, it's a giant party).

Still, it was a bit of a head-scratcher when London's ceremony included a segment that put the spotlight on … supermodels.

Rail-thin, slightly unhealthy-looking supermodels, with complicated histories. Great Britain's Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell led the catwalk contingent that paid homage to British designers such as Alexander McQueen and Victoria Beckham.

[ Photos: 2012 London Games' Closing Ceremony ]

The Twitter-verse exploded with disapproval. Moss, who allegedly used drugs in 2005, in particular took some heat.

@piersmorgan: I suspect Kate Moss might fail her drugs test later.

@Martin_Lewis: A fortnight of celebrating drug free, hard working role models. The #closingceremony is being, lets say, slightly less picky.

Naomi CampbellBut Tweeters' main complaint was to ask what kind of message it sends to feature anorexic-looking women after seeing the accomplishments of healthy, muscular women.

@ElliottAlmond: Go SuperModels go. Win a medal. Eat.

@olyphil: We're celebrating anorexic women who do nothing but stand and look beautiful. Fashion show. STOOOOOOOOPID

@rebeccakesby1: Sorry why have we got super models in the closing ceremony when we've had so many REAL women over last two weeks????

@S_A_Somerville: Never mind supermodels. Catherine Grainger, Jess Ennis, Rebecca Adlington, Victoria Pendleton r role models #closingceremony shld highlight.

@DrEvanHarris: Ah yes, too-thin fashion models at #closingceremony. Rather lost out in "wannabee" wars to healthy looking women during #London2012

Brazil featured its own supermodel in its segment during the closing ceremony, Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio. If walking the catwalk was an Olympic event, Brazil  could boast an imposing supermodel lineup of its own, led by Giselle and Adriana Lima.

Related Olympics coverage on Yahoo! Sports:

More Olympics coverage on Yahoo! Sports:
• Usain Bolt is a legend, even if the IOC disagrees
• Team USA hoops documents its gold-medal celebration
• McKayla Maroney pokes fun at her own meme

Related Videos

Most Popular »

  • Prof held for 'begging' says he had sought permission

    India, May 20 -- Two days after a 53-year-old professor was arrested and charged for begging on suburban trains, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) said that Sandeep Desai should have sought their permission before starting to collect money, which he uses for setting up education institutes. Desai, however, claimed that he had already given an application to the Railway administration in 2010."Before I started making rounds in the local trains for the charity, I had given a written application

  • Rajiv Shukla says strict action will be taken if players are found guilty

    Chennai, May 19 (ANI): Chennai, May 19 (ANI): The Vice President of the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI), Rajiv Shukla on Sunday said strict actions would be taken if the players are found guilty after the Working Committee submits its report.

  • Emotional swansong for Beckham in Paris
    Emotional swansong for Beckham in Paris

    PARIS (Reuters) - A capacity crowd chanting his name, the Eiffel Tower in the background: even by his own glamorous standards, David Beckham got a special send-off on Saturday as he headed into retirement with another title in the bag. "Tonight was a nice way to go out, in front of my family and in front of the capacity crowd who were excited because we won the league," the 38-year-old former England captain told reporters after his 10th and probably final Ligue 1 appearance. ...

  • Rahul Gandhi criticises opposition for 'stalling' Food Bill

    Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi, May 19 (ANI): Congress Vice President Rahul has criticised the opposition parties for stalling the Food Security Bill in Parliament, and asserted the UPA government was determined to enact the legislation for the benefit of people.

  • 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Zaibunissa surrenders

    Mumbai, May 20 (IANS) Zaibunissa Kazi, a convict in the March 1993 serial blasts case, surrendered in Mumbai court Monday afternoon, three days after a judge issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against her.

  • Road Test and Review: Ford EcoSport

    The Ford EcoSport has been an object of infatuation since it broke cover at the Delhi Auto Expo in 2012. It basked in the limelight for a year and a half for three reasons – an unconventionally attractive design, the … Continue reading →

  • Sanjay Dutt to stay in Arthur Road jail for now

    India, May 20 -- Contrary to the popular belief, there are no immediate plans to shift Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to Pune-based Yerwada jail, Meeran Borwankar, additional director general of police (prisons) told HT on Sunday.Dutt, who is lodged in a high security prison at Arthur Road jail after his surrender on Thursday, was convicted for illegal possession of arms in the 1993 blasts case and was sentenced to five years of imprisonment.Borwankar said, "The Arthur Road jail houses convicts as

More »

Yahoo! Sports Authors

Yahoo! Sports Blogs

Olympic, Olympiad, the Olympic rings, Faster Higher Stronger, Citius Altius Fortius and related marks are owned by the International Olympics Committee, the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, or their related entities. This site is neither endorsed by nor affiliated with any of these entities.