Football presenter Diletta Leotta has claimed her ‘pretty’ self-presentation is a mark of ‘respect for the viewer’ after she was criticised for her choice of outfits.
Leotta, who married former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius last year, is a presenter for DAZN’s Serie A coverage but was called under scrutiny earlier this month.
A fellow presenter, Valentina Maceri, included Leotta in a group of broadcasters who border on ‘vulgarity’ and lack ‘professionalism’.
But now Leotta has fiercely defended her right to wear whatever she wants – and insisted that DAZN place the utmost importance on talent when choosing their presenters.
She told La Gazzetta dello Sport: ‘Of course I feel it [people being obsessed with aesthetics]. But I feel part of a shift in the perception of women as presenters and journalists, which I think is finally taking hold.
‘In this sense, I have to say I’m lucky to work with DAZN, because here they manage to emphasize competence, valorizing talent regardless of whether you’re a woman or a man. It’s clear that image is part of our job, especially for those in television, but if you turn out to be a container without substance, you won’t get very far.
Football presenter Diletta Leotta has defender her outfits after criticism from another TV star
Leotta hosts Serie A’s coverage for DAZN and has become a popular figure online
The star is seen posing with David Beckham as her profile in the broadcast world grows
‘Even today, I study, I prepare, I try to stay up to date: that’s the key. Also, a nice dress is a pleasure to wear; being well-groomed, pretty, and pleasant to look at, I think, is also a matter of respect for the viewer, but I think that applies in any work environment.
‘Envy isn’t a concept I’m familiar with, but I don’t know if it’s a personality issue or if it’s because I grew up in a family full of women, with a mother who was always there for me and never passed this kind of feeling on to us children.
‘On the contrary, I remember rejoicing in my sisters, brothers, and friends. I admired my brothers, who are all older than me, and I thought, “Wow, they did it, I want to do it too.” My brother has a degree in medicine, my sisters in law and architecture: for me, they were a motivation. I deeply love and appreciate women and men who achieve their goals; I think they can only be a source of inspiration.
‘The problem is that we live in the age of social media, which is full of not-so-great comments. The problem is that maybe those people who write those comments are the same ones who actually ask you for a photo or a greeting.’
Eleonora Incardona, Giusy Meloni, Maria Luisa Jacobelli, and Leotta have become recognisable around the world thanks to their football coverage.
The group all work for the Italian arm of DAZN’s football coverage but came in for criticism from fellow football presenter Maceri, who presents Champions League coverage for Swiss broadcaster Blue.
She said the quartet’s outfits, which have generated traction online, demonstrated little professionalism and said they ‘lack style and class’, before Maceri launched a personal attack on Incardona.
Maceri, 31, said: ‘Incardona mainly presents the betting odds. And she does it very sexy. Sometimes vulgarly.’
Despite earning some detractors for her clothing choices in a professional environment, Incardona was unphased.
Speaking to Global Networker, she said: ‘Style is clearly part of your personal and professional identity.
‘How does fashion empower you in high-stakes, male-dominated environments like sports broadcasting? Fashion is my language.
‘It helps me express who I am and feel confident, even in male-dominated or high-pressure environments.
‘I never give up my femininity — on the contrary, I use it as a strength. When you feel good in your skin, you’re ready for anything.’
Incardona’s comments come after Munich-based fashion expert and stylist Sonja Grau delivered a blunt verdict on one of Incardona’s recent outfits – a skimpy, figure-hugging black dress.
Grau did not hold back, labelling the presenter’s outfit a no-go for the professional sports stage.
‘It doesn’t make a serious impression,’ Grau told Bild. ‘This is perfectly acceptable in leisure time, depending on the situation – for example, at the beach or a lake.
‘But Ms. Incardona was in the business world, and that’s not professional in any way and has nothing to do with style.
‘Bare midriffs and that low neckline don’t belong in the office either. It’s fine in her free time, but everyone has to decide for themselves what they want to score with.’
