The presenter of the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Martin Solveig has been slammed heavily for a question he asked after Ada Hegerberg scooped the maiden edition of the Women's Ballon d'Or. The Lyon star beat off competition from Pernille Harder, Dzsenifer Maroszan and Marta to clinch the accolade at Monday's event held at the Grand Palais in France capital Paris.
The Norwegian striker's accomplishment in the calendar year notably includes winning the UEFA Women's Champions League with Olympique Lyonnais' female team. She also finished last season with 42 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions for her side and has so far scored 31 goals in 29 appearances for Lyon this season.
Graced in a golden dress, Hegerberg gallantly made her way onto the podium to receive her honor. Upon picking up the award, she was met with a rather unusual question which has stirred up massive agitation on social media in her big night.
The night's host Martin Solveig asked the award recipient whether she knows how to "twerk". Hegerberg answered briefly by saying "No" and immediately walked off the stage while her questioner laughed off what he apparently perceived as a joke.
What kind of question is this? And why are these guys laughing? This is disgusting, I'm so sorry for Ada Hegerberg pic.twitter.com/FHUnZPSRqO
— Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) December 3, 2018
Here are some more reactions from fans on social media about the incident:
The host really asked the Female Ballon d'Or winner to twerk #ballondor pic.twitter.com/VNvthsxPHv
— Louis. (@FutbolLouiss) December 3, 2018
Unreal. Ada Hegerberg win the first ever women's Ballon D'or and @martinsolveig immediately asks her to twerk...so much for equality in soccer...
— Christian Folsom (@FolsomsFacts) December 3, 2018
Pointless being outraged at the Ballon d'Or result. A popularity contest, monopolised by an electoral college controlled by sponsors & agents. Always will be.
— Dan Levene (@danlevene) December 3, 2018
Save your outrage for sexist shitbag Martin Solveig - asking women's winner Ada Hegerberg if she could twerk for him.
The host of Ballon D'Or actually asked the first female Ballon D'Or winner Ada Hegerberg to twerk.
— Utkarsh Joshi (@UtkarshJos) December 3, 2018
I mean What the.... pic.twitter.com/pML1bEklk8
Ada Hegerberg is the 1st female #BallonDoR winner. A #sexist POS tried to ruin it by asking her to twerk on stage in front of her peers & watching public. So don't let him. Her name is Ada Hegerberg & she was the first woman to win the ballon d'or today! That's the story
— Mark Dyson (@DysonMarkA) December 3, 2018
@martinsolveig
— Harald Natvik (@HaraldNatvik) December 3, 2018
Offer your sincere apologies to Ada Hegerberg asap.
Sexist comments like these are simply not welcome in 2018, when we finally believed a woman could be celebrated for her non-twerking skills on tv..
Disrespectful, disgraceful, and sexist behaviour. Congratulations to the brilliant Ada Hegerberg for the award. Unfortunate that Martin Solveig felt the need to do this. https://t.co/xGNzhtU1Oy
— freeflow football (@freeflowblog) December 3, 2018
Disrespectful, disgraceful, and sexist behaviour. Congratulations to the brilliant Ada Hegerberg for the award. Unfortunate that Martin Solveig felt the need to do this. https://t.co/xGNzhtU1Oy
— freeflow football (@freeflowblog) December 3, 2018