“Power Gymnast Could Not Also Be Artistic…”: Simone Biles Slammed Misconception About Gymnasts After Facing Derogatory Comments During 2013 Match
Follow Us
Biles hasn’t always had a smooth ride in her journey in gymnastics. Apart from constant criticism and the naysayers she also had to deal with crumbling mental health and losses on the mat. But, perhaps any of those were as troubling for her as her first brush with racist comments. Biles had to deal with the humiliation of being dished out racial slurs at the age of 16. And that too, after being a champion.
Simone Biles was a target of racial dialogue
The year was 2013 and 16-year-old Simone had just been crowned a winner of the World Gymnastic Championships. But her moment of the win was cut short by an unforeseen occurrence. While Simone became the first black woman to bag the all-around badge, Italian gymnast Carlotta Ferlito was placed at 11th. Ferlito, unable to take her loss, blasted a deeply racist statement against Biles. This was deeply hurtful for obvious reasons and the Olympian later wrote about it in her autobiography.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
via Getty
TOKYO, JAPAN – JULY 25: Simone Biles of Team United States looks on during Women’s Qualification on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Simone said in the book, “I could easily forgive what Carlotta said but the Italian Gymnastics Federation spokesperson’s statement did bother me a bit. It implied that a power gymnast could not also be artistic and graceful, and also that power and grace were somehow tied to a person’s race. I absolutely didn’t agree.”
Trending
Worried Coaches Denied Simone Biles’ Paris Olympics Appeal After Twisties Trauma
April 19, 2024 02:30 PM EDT
‘Thought Charlie Was the Real Deal’: Tiger Woods’s Son Taunted by Golf World as Rival Prodigy Steals the Show
April 19, 2024 11:30 AM EDT
“Jamie F**ked Up”- Fans React as Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson’s JRE Episode Is Deleted in Minutes
April 19, 2024 03:05 PM EDT
Silencing Nike Chaos, Sha’Carri Richardson’s Historic Move With Sprite Puts Her in 96-Year-Old Inner Circle for Olympics
April 18, 2024 10:20 PM EDT
“See It on Camera”: Cody Rhodes Reveals Roman Reigns’ Unscripted Three-Word Line During WrestleMania Match
April 19, 2024 12:09 PM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest Olympics stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
Biles was taken aback by another gymnast’s comments about race and strength. And she wanted to show the world, that no matter what your ethnicity is, it “shouldn’t have anything to do with the color of your skin”.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Simone’s win streak remains uninterrupted
I’ve teamed up with @FriendsNational to celebrate National Foster Care and Mental Health Awareness Month! I loved meeting 100+ youth this week in programs across the country. The children, their stories, and their resiliency are inspiring! #PutChildrenFirst #MentalHealthMatters pic.twitter.com/24UzDOGOCm
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) May 19, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
It is simply worth mentioning how despite multiple setbacks, this gymnast is not ready to back down yet. She glides effortlessly, both on the mat and in life. Her win streak is never ending in both personal and professional life and that’s what makes her the GOAT. That’s why she remains the hero for many.
WATCH THIS STORY: Gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles Reveals Unknown Facts About Her Relationship With Bestfriend Rachel.
Written by:
Edited by:
Rupak Kumar Jha