Pioneering artistic swimmer says he’ll use gay slurs as ‘strength’ on road to Olympics
Milan Violon is proud to be France's first male athlete in a major artistic swimming competition aiming for the L.A. Olympics.
Mark
Milan Violon is on course to make history at the Olympics and is using the homophobia of keyboard warriors to fuel his ambitions.
The 17-year-old recently became the first man to represent France in a major artistic swimming competition, the European Aquatics Championships in Paris, helping his eight-person team finish fifth in the free routine event.
Sadly, the reaction to Violon taking part brought a wave of toxicity as he was targeted with discrimination online.
The specialist website Inside Synchro reported: “It should have been solely a moment of celebration, and one that was deservedly covered by the French media. Unfortunately, it was quickly tainted by a wave of hateful, homophobic comments and cyberbullying on social media.”
In a discipline historically dominated by women, the teenager’s place was questioned despite the fact he was far from the only male swimmer breaking down barriers in Paris.
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Greece included Stylianos Koukouselis on its team, Israel fielded Yogev Dagan, while in the men’s and mixed events, the talent on display was undeniable.
Great Britain’s Ranjuo Tomblin delivered a standout performance, capturing four gold medals. Italy’s Filippo Pelati secured three silvers and a bronze, while Spain’s Dennis Gonzalez took home two silver medals.
After the competition’s conclusion, Gonzalez said on Instagram: “I’m happy to be part of a group that is making history in our sport.”
Commendably, Violon shrugged off the gay slurs and said he is looking to the future with confidence, with his sights set on L.A. 2028.
Milan Violon says he ‘won’t give up’ in the face of homophobia
It was before the last Olympics that the International Olympic Committee and World Aquatics officially altered the rules to allow men to compete in Olympic artistic swimming.
The updated regulations permitted up to two men on each eight-member team. However, despite that rule change, none of the national federations that qualified for Paris 2024 ultimately selected a male athlete for their final rosters at the Games.
For this cycle, the representation is coming through, and alas with it, a splurge of online hate.
Yet despite his youth, Violon appears to be entirely unfazed.
@worldaquatics Our kind of crazy #ArtisticSwimming #Swimming #athlete #training ♬ original sound – WorldAquatics
Speaking to the French news outlet 20minutes.fr, he said: “Honestly, these criticisms aren’t going to make me quit my sport.
“When I started, I never even imagined I’d be able to join the French team one day. So, I feel grateful. But I’m also very proud to be the first. I’m going to continue to the end, trying to achieve my goals
“I use these comments as strength. I won’t give up.”
Violon, who will celebrate his 18th birthday in November, is already showing admirable maturity and resilience.
“We’re aiming for Los Angeles 2028, or Brisbane 2032 if we have to wait. That’s normal, I’m young compared to the rest of the group,” he explained.
He also wants to offer encouragement to other young men who might feel hesitant to enter sports that break traditional gender norms.
“You have to try, you mustn’t be afraid to start. Yes, there will be bad people. But if you have a good support system, it becomes a strength to give even more. You just have to not give up.”
@milanviolon Why not ? Inspi : @Dennis Gonzalez #artisticswimming #maleduetartisticswimming #relatable #foryou ♬ original sound – Eian Rivera
German artistic swimmer felt welcome in the sport as a gay man
Violon’s experience reflects a broader pattern faced by male pioneers in artistic swimming.
Out gay German artistic swimmer Frithjof Seidel, who is now retired, recently spoke to Tagesspiegel about the unique social dynamics he encountered while competing in the sport.
He switched from diving in 2020 and three years later became the first man to win a medal in an artistic swimming team event at a senior European Championships.
“In synchronized swimming, I was welcomed with open arms. But there other questions arose, not about my sexuality, but about my gender,” Seidel recalled.
“This is because synchronized swimming is considered a female sport, and men are severely underrepresented there.
“Suddenly, it was less about the fact that I was gay and more about how I appeared as a man in this room.
“That was an exciting experience. In many parts of our society, women struggle to fight for spaces that should be theirs. When you experience for yourself what it feels like not to automatically belong, you understand it better.”
It’s inspirational to see the confidence of Violon and his male peers in artistic swimming in the face of ongoing sexism and homophobia.
Cowardly abuse aimed at athletes from usually faceless social media accounts is proliferating. It’s clear the perpetrators are attempting to reinforce rigid gender binaries, a trend that is on the rise across so many sports.
Turning prejudice into motivation is the best strategy. Violon can rest assured that there will be thousands of new fans who are now cheering him on after Paris, and they will be hoping all the male artistic swimmers make a splash in Los Angeles in two years’ time.
And if the dissenters can’t be drowned out entirely, the best way to prove them wrong is with personal triumphs, podium places, and the pride that comes with being an elite athlete.
Competing at the Olympics is the next level up, while if you can achieve it, the ultimate riposte is to become an Olympic champion — that pretty much makes you immortal.
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