French athlete Thibaut Baronian has faced criticism after being involved in the latest controversy at the National Park of Teide. As the French trail champion, the runner recorded part of his training around Pico Viejo, where he can be seen deviating from the marked trail, stepping on forbidden ground.
At a time when discussions are ongoing about the future fee for protected areas in Tenerife, Baronian has received numerous messages on social media regarding this incident. The runner has deleted his training post from Instagram and has issued apologies on his social media platforms.
The French athlete has used his native language, English, and Spanish to share his perspective on the matter.
“About my reel yesterday:
Firstly, I apologize for deviating from the paths at the Volcano. Here is the track (link to his training), showing that I respected the paths at Teide. Very sportsmanlike. And thank you for all your insults!”
In another story, Baronian addresses this issue by leaving a message for the Canary society. The athlete refers to the massive demonstration held on 20th April in the eight islands Canaries, which resonated in various parts of Spain and Europe.
Baronian’s two stories on his Instagram / E. D.
Various media outlets from United States, India, or his native France reflected the protests of the Canarians, and Baronian used a screenshot to convey another message about the situation in the Archipelago and the insults he has received.
“I understand the hatred towards tourists better, but we must not miss the target.”
No insult has replenished the excess water consumed in luxury hotels, no insult has resolved mass tourism in certain parts of the country…”
