Gymnast faces backlash for ‘vulgar’ performance at sacred shrine

A gymnast has sparked outrage after performing what many have called a “vulgar” routine at a sacred Japanese shrine.

María del Mar Pérez Banus, better known as Marimar Pérez, faced accusations of disrespecting Japanese culture after posting an Instagram video where she performed gymnastics at the entrance of a holy site.

In the video, the fitness influencer can be seen hanging from a Torii, a traditional gateway that symbolizes the boundary between the sacred and the everyday at Shinto shrines and some Buddhist temples.

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Pérez danced to the popular track “Cha-Cha Slide” by Mr. C the Slide Man while on holiday in Japan.

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The Chilean-born gymnast, now residing in the U.S., received widespread criticism after the clip was shared on X (formerly Twitter).

Many Japanese users expressed outrage, calling the act disrespectful.

One commenter warned, “If you do something like this at a shrine, you will be punished terribly,”

while another labeled it “cultural vandalism,” comparing it to insulting Christian symbols.

Some even demanded that foreigners who disrespect Japanese culture should be denied entry into the country.

In response to the backlash, the 25-year-old former Pan American Games gymnast posted a heartfelt apology, admitting she was unaware of the cultural significance of the Torii gate.

In her video, she said, “I want to apologize to everyone. I wasn’t thinking about what I was doing, and I truly didn’t realize the importance of the structure.

Please stop sending me messages, I’m really sorry.”

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Pérez, who along with her sister runs a fitness page with 139,000 Instagram followers, has had a successful gymnastics career, representing Chile in the 2019 Pan American Games and winning a silver medal at the South American Gymnastics Championships that same year.

Despite her apology, the incident has continued to stir conversation about cultural respect and awareness when traveling abroad.

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SOURCE: Gymnast sparks outrage after performing ‘vulgar’ routine at sacred shrine