‘Out of control’: Nadia Bartel exposes dark AFL truth

The ex-wife of Geelong great Jimmy Bartel has shared the horrific comments about her face she received from footy fans during her marriage.

Nadia Bartel has exposed a dark truth about being married to an AFL star, stating the issue is so prevalent, it’s “out of control”.

The mum-of-two began dating the now retired Geelong great Jimmy Bartel when she was just 21, long before she embarked on her fashion and influencer career on social media.

While the pair officially divorced in 2021, Bartel has just spoken out about the horrific abuse the wives and girlfriends of Australia’s sports stars endure. The act of support comes after fellow WAG Chloe Pink revealed wedding photos from her nuptials to childhood sweetheart, North Melbourne AFL player Toby Pink, were bombarded with “disgusting” comments about her appearance.

“Some of these partners of some of these AFL and sports stars are just your regular everyday mums and women, and they don’t exactly want to be in the limelight, or for people out there to be judging every single part of their body and their appearance,” she shared in a new video.

“I know you’re going to sit there and say, ‘OK Nadia, you put yourself out there, you should be ready to be ridiculed’.

“But I remember in the early days when I was first dating my ex, I was 21, not in this industry, working full-time in an office job, and the treatment that I got back then was just disgusting.”

Watch the video above to hear Bartel’s experience in her own words

Bartel, now 39, said at the time strangers would comment on her facial features and claim she “looked like a man”, cruel remarks she said that “stick with you”.

Nadia began dating AFL player Jimmy Bartel when she was just 21. Picture: Instagram

But she said the bullying she got for her appearance was 'out of control' – and it’s rife in the AFL community. Picture: TikTok/NadiaBartel

It’s not just the wives and girlfriends of AFL stars that suffer this treatment, she said, with Bartel stating most women in the public space suffer with online bullying, adding it has got “out of control” in recent years.

The HENNE creator highlighted the current situation engulfing TikTok star Indy Clinton who has been horrifically trolled since recently undergoing a rhinoplasty, prompting the popular mummy creator to take a break from social media.

She also mentioned Mrs Pink, whose stunning wedding snaps were recently swamped with gross and alarming comments about her body and appearance.

The 25-year-old newlywed said she’d experienced “some comments before” after attending AFL events with her husband, but nothing had prepared her for the barrage of online abuse she experienced, prompting her to highlight the bullying in a video shared to her social media account.

“I didn’t think they’d be so horrible,” she told news.com.au at the time.

“It is easier said than done to ignore them. It is just a natural thing to read something about yourself.”

Chloe Pink recently shared her own experience with cruel internet trolls. Picture: My Scandi Style Photography and Little Bai Photography

Bartel’s video has attracted a wave of applause from social media users, with many agreeing the mental toll of cyber bullying is often not told.

“It’s so sad that this is still happening in 2025!! It needs to stop!!” one shared.

“It’s disgusting and embarrassing. Unless you have something positive to say – shut up!” another argued.

But the former WAG was forced to address some of the critics to her initial comments in a follow-up video, stating: “We are all allowed to have our own thoughts and opinions but why do we need to bring women down?”

Originally published as ‘Out of control’: Nadia Bartel exposes dark AFL truth