Gymnastics Ireland (GI) has issued an unequivocal apology for the alleged racist treatment of a young Black gymnast during a medal presentation at an event in Dublin in 2022. A video of the incident surfaced on social media last week, sparking outrage and condemnation from the gymnastics community and beyond.
The video, widely shared on Friday, showed an official seemingly skipping the young Black gymnast, among the competitors the rest being white, when distributing medals to a row of girls. The young athlete appeared bewildered by the incident.
In a statement posted on its website on Monday, Gymnastics Ireland expressed deep regret over the incident. “We would like to unreservedly apologise to the gymnast and her family for the upset that has been caused by the incident,” GI’s statement read. “What happened on the day should not have happened, and for that, we are deeply sorry.”
The federation also made it abundantly clear that it condemns any form of racism. The video had prompted widespread condemnation, including from United States gymnastics star Simone Biles, who sent the young gymnast a private video message of support. Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist, voiced her disapproval on social media, stating, “[It] broke my heart to see… There is no room for racism in any sport or at all.” Her teammate, Jordan Chiles, also expressed deep hurt over the incident.
Initially, Gymnastics Ireland defended the official involved, attributing the incident to an “honest error.” However, GI acknowledged receiving a complaint from the parents of the affected gymnast alleging racist behavior in March 2022. An independent mediation process was conducted, resulting in a resolution agreed upon by both parties in August 2023. The official issued a written apology, and the young gymnast received her medal after the ceremony.
Despite the resolution, the girl’s mother, as reported by the Irish Independent on Sunday, expressed dissatisfaction, stating that GI had not issued a public apology. She also indicated her intention to escalate the matter to the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation in Switzerland.
