There is another victim of the infamous former presenter Mart Smeets, namely Leontien van Moorsel. “Because of him I actually didn’t want to become Sportswoman of the Year.”
Well after his retirement, the elderly presenter Mart Smeets symbolizes everything that is wrong with old-fashioned work cultures. Yelling, belittling, hurting – behavior that old men like him and Johan Derksen consider normal – is no longer tolerated by the new generation. The resistance against the mastodons is truly massive.
Leontien also a victim
After his disgusting interview with Coen Verbraak, Mart is attacked from all sides. In addition to the well-known story of Aïcha Marghadi, who was belittled by Mart, Catherine Keyl has also revealed that Mart approached her in a transgressive manner. And BNR presenter Jelle Maasbach knows someone who was verbally abused by Mart.
Henk Westbroek has also come forward – he states that Mart called him a dirty, rotten dog – and now former cyclist Leontien van Moorsel is also coming forward with her story. “I never liked it when I was interviewed by Mart, say, after winning a world title or an Olympic title,” she says in Show news.
Never at ease
During her career, Leontien sometimes wanted to commit sporting kamikaze to avoid confrontation with Mart. “I never felt comfortable. I even had, at the sports election, where I was almost certain that I would become Sportswoman of the Year. Then he did a duo presentation together with Jack van Gelder.”
She continues: “And then I was like: oh, I hope if I become one, I don’t get interviewed by him, because then I’d rather not be one. I just didn’t feel comfortable.”
Mart is more important
You were just an extra for Mart, says Leontien. “He always thought it was important – even if you had achieved so much – that he was the most important. I just didn’t feel comfortable next to him. I never had that feeling with Dione and Jack van Gelder, but with Mart I just didn’t feel comfortable.”
Mart suffers from the superlative degree of arrogance, Leontien believes. “Yes, he radiated that a bit. That’s a feeling I had that he gave me. That’s how I felt.”
Reveal of Henk
And what do they think of the Shownieuws desk about Henk Westbroek’s revelation? “So are we going to bring back experiences from forty years ago and that will be news again?” asks René Mioch.
Colleague Bart Ettekoven: “I also have a bit of trouble with that. I completely agree with you. We are really talking about the early eighties now and Henk Westbroek himself has not been shy.”
Leontien was last elected Sportswoman of the Year twenty years ago. During the broadcast it was not clear whether her anecdote was also out of date according to her colleagues.