Olympics: I feel sorry for the intolerant, says commentator Alline Calandrini

Anyone who sees journalist and commentator Alline Calandrini, 36, working on Globo’s football matches may not know that, to be there, the former defender for teams like Santos and Corinthians does not only have the knowledge acquired in practice with football. To be there, commentating on the matches, she usually spends hours and hours studying the teams, tactics, athletes on the field and the entire context surrounding the competition.

“I watch games that I’m not even going to play in, just to be aware of everything,” she says to F5. However, the professional, who has been with the company for a year and a half, laments that oftentimes no matter how much experience, background or commitment she has, the criticism always comes without mercy. “Regardless of the level of education, there will always be blatant sexism. When the male narrator makes a mistake, it goes unnoticed. However, if it is the woman who makes a mistake, they give her a lot more flak.”

But neither this nor the prejudice she has suffered for speaking openly about her relationship with another woman seems to take away from the focus and seriousness with which the Macapá native approaches her work. Quite the opposite. In a few days, Alline will do something she was unable to do when she was an athlete: be at the Olympics, now as a commentator. “May communication take me further and further,” she says excitedly.

For viewers, it seems that you are gaining more and more space on Globo. Do you agree?

I feel fulfilled. I stopped playing in 2018 and took on commentary in women’s football on another channel. [Band]and everything happened very quickly. I am living a happy moment professionally, with opportunities that are arising. What makes me happy is being able to communicate with different bubbles, like when I participate in Encontro com a Patrícia Poeta (Globo).

What do you remember about your career as a player?

I’ve been playing since I was four years old, I was born to play. In the North, where I come from [ela nasceu em Macapá-AP] There was little talk about women’s football. At the age of 16, I came to São Paulo to play for Santos, Juventus and Corinthians, the club where I ended my career early, at the age of 29. I underwent two knee surgeries in a row, I was out of action for two years and this changed my performance on the field. In the meantime, I was studying journalism and already had a vision of this area.

In a matter of days, you will be commentating at the Paris Olympics. What will it be like?

I will do it here in Rio de Janeiro because of the advanced technology that TV offers. I was unable to go to the Olympics as an athlete and it left me wanting more. But that doesn’t bother me, since on Globo I can fulfill myself in this way.

You are still one of the few female commentators on the channel. Do you consider yourself an active voice?

Being where we are already makes us an active voice. When I was younger, I never imagined I would be on TV, because I didn’t see women commentating on games. We must always talk about the importance of having more women in television positions, and the network has been opening these doors. These are people, regardless of sexual orientation, color, religion. The scenario, today, is more diverse. (According to Globo’s press office, there is a 35% female presence in the channel’s football broadcasts; in the Olympics, this rate, says the network, will be 43%)

How do you prepare to commentate on games?

I was an athlete, determined, and this is also true in my profession as a journalist. I study watching games and this has become my base, my security. But, regardless of how much I study, there will always be blatant sexism, men who hate women. When the male narrator makes a mistake, it goes unnoticed. But if it is the woman who makes a mistake, they give her more heat.

What are your references in female commentary?

I really like Juliana Cabral, Ana Thaís Matos, Nathalia Ferrão. They are competent women and we strengthen each other.

Does it affect you when, especially on the web, they try to create a female rivalry between commentators?

No. It doesn’t affect me. We don’t need to increase one to decrease the other. They are all references, each with their own way of analyzing the game, just as men are also different. There is no rivalry.

You are a gay woman from the North of the country. Do you consider yourself an inspiration?

I have support from my girlfriend [a jornalista e apresentadora Stephanie Paula] for everything. It’s not often that we see a northerner speaking or playing on the country’s biggest broadcaster. I receive affection and a lot of positive feedback. The fact that I’m gay is also representative, of course. There are many layers of diversity in me.

Have you ever suffered prejudice or harassment?

As a player, there is discrimination based on sexual orientation. People say: ‘A bunch of butch women, lesbians, poor things’. I’ve lived with this since I was a child, but it doesn’t bother me. I feel sorry for the intolerant and the most important thing is the support of my family, I’ve always had that. Of course, when I was younger I was scared. The hatred is always directed at women.

Does it happen at work too? As a journalist, it also happens. Some try to belittle me, say I don’t understand anything, use derogatory words.

What are your professional plans?

The first time I commentated on a men’s soccer game gave me the certainty that I was on the right path. Now, participating in the Olympics and a World Cup and being on Patrícia Poeta are already great achievements. Who knows, maybe in the future I’ll get more involved in the world of entertainment. May communication take me further and further.

Looking at photos of you from your playing days, you can see that your appearance has changed a lot. Have you become more vain since you ended your playing career?

I’ve always been very vain, ever since I was an athlete. But I hated those types of stories the press did that referred to us as the Santos muse, the Corinthians hottie. I went through that. Today, those types of stories don’t appear anymore, but before, women were sexualized and I hated it. When I was a player, I was ten kilos overweight, I had more mass. My routine hasn’t changed, I go to the gym every day, I lost weight, because there’s no longer a need for a lot of muscle mass.

Do you feel pressure being on television?

No, I’ve always liked to take care of myself, I’ve never felt any pressure. But I prefer to look good in front of the cameras. I changed more because of maturity, because of my duty that reflects on my appearance, but no pressure. It was something that happened naturally.