September 24th 2023.
Simone Biles is making it known that racism has no place in sports, as she condemns Gymnastics Ireland for a harrowing incident that showed a young Black competitor blatantly skipped over during an awards ceremony.
The incident occurred in March 2022, according to the Daily Mail, and shocked viewers as the little girl's excitement turned to sadness when she was embarrassed by the medal bestower. Upon being notified of the video, Biles expressed her disgust and revealed that the girl's family had got in contact with her.
In response to the incident, Simone Biles sent a video to the young girl to lift her spirits and emphasize that there is "no room for racism" in the world of sports or in general. She wanted to reassure her that she deserved a medal just like all of the other girls, and that there are many people supporting her.
Gymnastics Ireland released an official statement apologizing to the young girl and her family for what happened. However, they remain adamant that the incident was caused by racism and that they have yet to receive a just apology for the ordeal. The organization claims that it was handled through a mediation back in August.
The woman who handed out the awards, who is no longer affiliated with the organization by her own choice, stated that the allegedly racist move was "unintentional" but did agree that her actions were not "acceptable."
The family are still exploring legal ramifications for the incident, however, Simone Biles' video to the young girl encouraged her to continue working hard at her passion and to never let racism make her feel less deserving.
Simone Biles' message is clear: racism has no place in sports or in general. Her words of encouragement to the young girl, as well as her condemnation of the incident, serve as a reminder to us all that everyone deserves to be treated equally and with respect.
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