In today’s episode of Racism Is A Global Phenomenon, a resurfaced 2022 clip showing a young Black girl getting passed over for a medal at a gymnastics ceremony in Ireland while every white competitor on the stage received their awards has gone viral.
The clip has garnered so much attention that a legendary Olympian has confirmed that she took action to support the snubbed Black girl in question.
Source: Ezra Shaw / Getty
According to CNN, the video footage is from a GymStart event that took place in March 2022. And yes, it does appear that the Black girl at GymStart got passed on by like she was a Black girl at Sesame Place. As folks on social media were outraged by the perceivable racist snub, Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles weighed in on it saying the girl’s parents “reached out” and that it “broke my heart to see, so I sent her a little video.”
“There is no room for racism in any sport or at all!!!!” Biles declared.
According to The Irish Independent, which interviewed the girl’s mother under the condition of anonymity this week, Biles sent the family a video in which she said, “I wanted to let you know that I saw how you were treated at your GymStart event recently. I was completely shocked and wanted to let you know that you deserve a medal just like all of the other girls.”
“I know you’ve worked incredibly hard at the sport and I wanted to say I am rooting for you from here,” she continued. “Sending you my very best and know that there are so many of us here to support you.”
Meanwhile, Gymnastics Ireland said in a statement that the official who ignored the Black gymnast “accepted fully that what had happened had not been acceptable but stressed that it had not been intentional.”
“The official concerned said that upon realising the mistake they immediately rectified it and ensured that the competitor concerned was presented with her medal before she left the Field of Play,” the statement continued, adding that the official has expressed “deep regret” for their “honest error.”
Look, there’s roughly a dozen girls on that stage and we’re to believe it was just an accident that the lone Black girl got passed up? Just saying, that puts a whole new spin on, “I don’t see color.”
Gymnastics Ireland also noted that a “written apology provided by the identified individual has since been issued to the competitor and her family,” but, according to the girl’s mother, that matters were never settled and the apology they received was not “genuine.”
“We are often the only Black family at gymnastics events and this has been very hurtful for us,” the mother told The Independent. “Now eight million people have seen the video. From Pakistan to Ethiopia they can see this was wrong but Gymnastics Ireland still can’t accept it and say sorry.”
Yeah, you don’t just get to tell everyone it’s all good when the offended party says it ain’t. Then again, that’s pretty much how racism is dealt with in America, so why should Ireland be any different?
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