July 7, 2025, 10:05 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Eleonora Incardona, a sports presenter born in Sicily, has sparked a debate highlighting how women are often reduced to their appearance. The term “reduced” is particularly fitting in Incardona’s case, as her competence was questioned due to a revealing outfit she wore while hosting a Club World Cup event. This discussion can be extremely valuable for us as a society.
In 34 years, host Eleonora Incardona has experienced a lot. Participation in Miss Italia 2010, building an Instagram account with over a million followers, completing a law degree, serving as an ambassador for one of the world’s largest cycling races—there’s so much to discuss with Eleonora Incardona. Yet, following a scandal earlier this year, she once again faces criticism regarding her choice of outfits. Her previous message, “As soon as you wear a skirt, competence counts less,” seems far from being accepted.
Overview
Eleonora Incardona: This Is the Outfit in Question
Eleonora Incardona is a trained lawyer who has now made her mark in sports journalism. Through cycling and reports on the “Giro d’Italia,” one of the Grand Tours, as well as her sideline reporting at major soccer matches like the “Derby d’Italia” between Juventus and Inter, she has established a name for herself in the field. Despite this expertise, marked by various roles and rapid advancements, more people seem interested in what Incardona wears—or doesn’t wear.
In Orlando, the 34-year-old hosted the quarterfinal between Fluminense and Al-Hilal during the FIFA Club World Cup, where top international clubs compete against each other. She posted mementos of the evening on her Instagram account. Alongside many positive comments praising her look with a ponytail, summery-bronze makeup, and a white pinstripe two-piece, there was also criticism. And it wasn’t exactly constructive.
Critics Want to Deny Incardona’s Competence
Yes, the top is low-cut. The look can be described as revealing, and particularly in sports television, female journalists often dress more conservatively. Yet, Eleonora Incardona becomes the target of sexist comments due to her summery look, focusing on her cleavage and simultaneously questioning her competence.
Quoting every comment that sexualizes and criticizes Incardona’s appearance would likely take hours. So here’s a selection: “Is this for a porn film?”, “With such an outfit, of course, one focuses primarily on expertise and not on the enhanced breasts,” and “Escort or sports presenter?” male users want to know.
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The Case of Eleonora Incardona Can Teach Us a Lot
It’s always impressive to see the position people take to make such judgments. The Italian has already had to deal with a similar scandal when a colleague from the sports streaming service DAZN criticized Incardona for her outfits criticized.
The case of Eleonora Incardona brings to light complex issues in our society. On one hand, there are the unwritten dress codes of various professions that prevent people from expressing their style individually. It also shows that women, in particular, often become the focus of this type of criticism. Female bodies are still so sexualized today that a simple summer outfit often seems inappropriate. Men’s looks are scrutinized much less frequently and less harshly.
Also interesting: “It’s Not the Bikini That Makes Me Feel Uncomfortable at the Beach!”
We cannot answer the question of whether Eleonora Incardona is competent enough for her job—even if that seems to be the first impulse of many other journalists on the subject. However, her path speaks for itself. It takes perseverance and creativity to combine various interests and life experiences and to make such a breakthrough in the industry without family connections.