BackWatch | Gymnastics federation snubs black young girl during medal ceremony in Ireland, apologises after 18-month
Ireland's gymnastics federation apologizes for racist treatment of black gymnast; video causes international outrage.
PremiumA shocking old video from Ireland has recently gone viral on the internet and has received a huge backlash from netizens. The video featured a young black gymnast girl standing in a queue that was overlooked at a medal ceremony in Ireland. While every other participant received a medal, a young girl wasn't given one. There was only one black girl in that queue.
The incident happened in March 2022 at a Gymstart event in Dublin, but the video re-emerged in recent days and has caused international outrage.
On Monday, after 18 months, Ireland's gymnastics federation apologised for the allegedly racist treatment of a young black gymnast.
"We would like to unreservedly apologise to the gymnast and her family for the upset that has been caused by the incident," said a statement by Gymnastic Ireland (GI) posted on its website.
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"What happened on the day should not have happened and for that, we are deeply sorry," said the statement.
"We would like to make it absolutely clear that (GI) condemns any form of racism whatsoever," it added.
US gymnast Simone Biles also condemned the video. It "broke my heart to see... There is no room for racism in any sport or at all," Biles, a seven-time Olympic medallist wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
In an earlier statement GI defended the official who it said had made an "honest error" but the girl's mother told an Irish newspaper Sunday that she believed the gymnast was ignored due to her identity.
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