Gymnastics Ireland finally broke eighteen months of silence, but only after the disgraceful incident involving their overlooking of a young black gymnast during a medal ceremony went viral, garnering more than 10 million views on social media. The parents rightly see this delayed response as an act of insincerity, fueled more by public embarrassment than genuine remorse. Such a late apology only reinforces the racial bias that the organization showed during the March 2022 GymStart event in Dublin. By disabling comments on their apology post, Gymnastics Ireland has further stifled the voices calling them out, revealing an unsettling complacency in addressing the issue genuinely.

The family revealed that they had immediately contacted Gymnastics Ireland after the event but only received a belated response. The mother said her daughter felt unfairly singled out because of her race, a sentiment that resonated widely when footage of the incident went viral.

“She felt very upset about what happened. It was almost as if though they blamed her for being black. It’s something very uncomfortable for a 10-year-old to go through.”

A year after the incident, the family received only a brief letter from the event’s judge, which was generically addressed as “to whom it concerns.”

The BBC discovered that shortly after the event, the judge had written an apology email saying she was “very nervous” and had made a “genuine mistake.” She added, “When I realised my mistake, I ran back to get your lovely child a participation medal and apologise.”

However, Gymnastics Ireland never forwarded this email to the family.

The father stated, “They tried to cover up like it didn’t happen. They probably thought that with time they’d forget about it. It was painful. You have to beg for an apology.”

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The video’s reemergence has sparked outrage among viewers online. It’s commendable that Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has used her platform to criticize the unfair treatment and rally behind the young athlete. While her involvement is heartening, it underscores a grim truth: Black children are frequently subjected to racial bias, particularly when they’re involved in recreational sports in mainly white areas.

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