The leaders of Compromís and the PSPV have harshly criticized a photo starring the Spanish rhythmic gymnastics team posing on their knees in the Palau de la Generalitat Valenciana together with president Carlos Mazón (PP) and vice president Vicente Barrera (Vox).
This is a snapshot that is part of a series of photos that was taken of the members of the rhythmic gymnastics team in which the athletes, winners of bronze in the World Championship held in Valencia this weekend, pose in the Palace of the Generalitat. In the photo, in addition to the president, the vice president and members of the team's technical team appear.
From the presidency of the Generalitat Valenciana they have explained that it was a sequence of about twenty photos and in one of them, improvised, the gymnasts knelt. After consulting the protocol of the Gymnastics Federation, they added that it is a gesture that they assure, they usually do in many photos: "They never squat but they do kneel," they explained.
In addition, the presidency reported that photos were also taken with Ximo Puig with the gymnasts kneeling and examples were provided to the media such as the East.
One of the photos taken is the one that accompanied Carlos Mazón's message.
Among the voices most critical of the controversial photo stand out those of the trustees of Compromís and PSPV, Joan Baldoví and Rebeca Torró.
But also that of the former mayor of Valencia, Joan Ribó, who on his social network X (formerly Twitter) has defined photography as "an exercise in pure machismo".
"On their knees, this is how the PP-Vox government in the Generalitat has placed the athletes of the Spanish rhythmic gymnastics team. It seems that they still have not understood what is happening," Ribó stated.
The senator of Más Madrid and trans activist Carla Antonelli has described this snapshot as "nauseating" and a "macho photo". "Our pride, on its knees. Our shame, on its feet. It's over, here too," said Joan Baldoví, Compromís candidate in the 28M regional elections and deputy in the Valencian Parliament, who has recovered the slogan that was is using to denounce Rubiales' kiss to soccer player Jenni Hermoso.
From socialism the image has also been criticized, with complaints such as that of the former regional deputy of the PSPV David Calvo, who has assured that "forms are the bottom line and, without a doubt, this new Consell is neither one nor the other". "Mazón and his henchmen are the distillery of national machismo," he added on the social network.
Journalists and activists have also shown criticism on social networks.
