Marco Odermatt became emotional after missing out on victory in Kitzbühel. Image: keystone
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Howling men are in demand. But one profession remains unmoved even in the face of cruel tragedies. This is a misunderstanding.
01/27/2026, 05:1401/27/2026, 05:14
Daniele Muscionico / ch media
Marco Odermatt can do anything, including crying at the right moment. After his Kitzbühel defeat, he confessed to ORF on Saturday: “I cry once a year, then I am overwhelmed by emotions. That was the case today.”
Fact, and what timing. Just after the downhill race, Odermatt’s anniversary of emotions began; he was overwhelmed. Anyone who is “overpowered” must, in the sense of the word, submit to the attack of many men. Super-Odi was only overcome by one person, Giovanni Franzoni. But that was apparently enough: on the winner’s podium, only number two, the man who was used to winning wiped tears from his face.
Roger Federer, the human fountain
Many people think that’s really nice. Because the ambitious, the controlled, the systematically trained person has not only shown the human being in him at the right moment. Barely a day later, he publicly regretted his tears and commented:
«I feel bad about my feelings from yesterday. Because I can live my dream, that’s a privilege.”
It is clear to everyone: This Odi not only has his body under control, but also his heart.
With superstar Roger Federer, people weren’t so sure whether they should clap for his emotionality. At times he resembled a human fountain. There he howled and there he howled. 2003 at Wimbledon, 2009 at the Australian Open final, at the farewell match at the Laver Cup. Whether he won or lost, the repeated overpowering of himself was irritating.
Even after winning the Australian Open 2018, tears rolled down Federer’s cheeks.Image: AP/AP
Finally, his sea of tears at a concert by the tenor Andrea Bocelli in the Zurich Hallenstadion in 2023 was absolutely doubtful. The athlete listened to the aria “Nessun dorma” on stage, lost his composure and seemed to flow out of his suit. But as we all know, musical taste can be debatable.
Calculated crying is in vogue
Crying today is excessive, because tears don’t lie, they say. Men’s tears in particular have gained acceptance. This isn’t new, it’s all happened before, and in the past, men crying were allowed. But they stopped doing it when it went out of fashion: Men should order a whiskey at the bar instead of sniffing loudly. That was women’s work.
Today – at least in the media public – most professionals have calculatedly built close to the water. That creates credibility. A few tears, a breathy “Sorry,” and a battered reputation is repaired. With one exception: In politics, the inviolability of armor is still the key to success.
The horror in Gaza, the tragedy in Crans-Montana. Who has seen a crying minister or a head of government in tears? Only Emmanuel Macron showed his human face at a memorial service in Martigny and blinked away a tear. The rest, stone-faced, did not allow themselves any expression.
Emmanuel Macron at the memorial service for the victims of Crans-Montana.Image: keystone
It is a paradox though. We expect authenticity from politicians, but we despise when he expresses it and cries. Can we really not stand being reminded that even at the top there are only people? The insight wouldn’t be that bad. It meant that we didn’t delegate upwards, but instead gave ourselves the kick in the butt. (aargauerzeitung.ch)