I would not be surprised if this was calculated. She could have bowed out long before the Olympics started and given someone else a chance. Instead, she took a spot on the team only to quit once she got there. Now there will show and book offers flooding in for her "courageous" story.
I never even thought of that angle. I wouldn't be surprised though.
I think what's most likely is that she turned up knowing she was injured hoping she could still perform and when she found out she couldn't she had a genuine breakdown.
The media may then have cynically exploited the story in the name of Capitalism but I don't think it's fair to vilify her.
Now if she comes back and miraculously wins a Gold in a plucky heart warming story I'll be a lot more cynical.
‘We Do Not Owe Anyone A Gold Medal’: Simone Biles’ Teammate After Backlash From Biles’ Withdrawal
After fierce debate erupted over iconic U.S. gymnast Simone Biles’ withdrawal from the gymnastics team final on Tuesday after she had trouble with her vault, which led to the U.S. women’s team winning the silver medal instead of the gold medal that was widely expected, Biles’ teammate Sunisa Lee spoke out, tweeting, “We do not owe anyone a gold medal.”
Lee wrote, “never been prouder to be apart of such an amazing team with an amazing group of girls. we stepped up when we needed to and did this for ourselves. we do not owe anyone a gold medal, we are WINNERS in our hearts.”...
Well .... that's sweet.
Every nation driven to extinction would probably be winners in their hearts too.
But we'll never know, because they were losers in reality.
Montegriffo wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:47 am
I'd be more concerned about why my national team had sent an injured athlete to the games.
That's the real scandal that this story is covering up.
As I said, I hold no animosity towards the gymnasts themselves, it's the media that's gone full failure-worship that bugs me. Oh, and if a gymnast wants to start tweeting some bullshit about "winning in their hearts" while they're not winning at the Olympic games where they were sent to perform - then that's fair game too.
You all won the silver.
That's not bad.
But don't insult us by lecturing the nation about how you don't owe anyone gold, and you're a winner in your heart.
You're an athlete given the chance to represent the greatest country on Earth on the world stage - shut up and perform.
Montegriffo wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:47 am
I'd be more concerned about why my national team had sent an injured athlete to the games.
That's the real scandal that this story is covering up.
As I said, I hold no animosity towards the gymnasts themselves, it's the media that's gone full failure-worship that bugs me. Oh, and if a gymnast wants to start tweeting some bullshit about "winning in their hearts" while they're not winning at the Olympic games where they were sent to perform - then that's fair game too.
You all won the silver.
That's not bad.
But don't insult us by lecturing the nation about how you don't owe anyone gold, and you're a winner in your heart.
You're an athlete given the chance to represent the greatest country on Earth on the world stage - shut up and perform.
Can't argue with any of that.
It's not as much fun as the GB team nearly ramming the Italian men's fours in the rowing.
Lost control and left their lane but managed to stop just short.
Britannia didn't rule the waves for that race.
