Now it is no surprise that Simone Biles has been one of the biggest allies and closest friends in the life of Jordan Chiles. Back in 2018, when Chiles was this close to quitting gymnastics for good, it was Simone who supported her. In fact, by allowing her to train at her facility in Texas, Simone made sure that Jordan got the help and support she required. Thus, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Chiles revealed to the world the truth of what $imoney had to endure despite winning a world title back in 2013. But what exactly happened then?
Now, even before Simone started her rise to fame on the back of her Olympic golds, she was already quite dominant on the international stage. One such win was her twin golds at the 2013 World Championship in Antwerp. In this process, she became the first Black gymnast to win an all-around title on the global stage. But instead of congrats, she had to face the question of if she deserved the victory. And the thing responsible for that was a single comment from a fellow gymnast. Chiles has taken it upon herself to let the world know what went down.
In her recently released memoir, I’m That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams, Jordan Chiles gave a firsthand account of what went down in 2013. However, it seems that Chiles might have mistaken the timeline a little. While the gymnast mentioned that the comments took place in 2016, it happened in 2013. The one involved in this was Italian Carlotta Ferlito.
Now, as it happened, the Italian had failed to qualify for Rio 2016. Thus, as soon as Biles won the medal, Carlotta made a controversial statement. She said, “I told Vane (Ferrari) that next time we’ll have our skin black also so we can win, too.” This was yet another attempt to rule out the success of Biles. She also made claims about how Biles had her scores updated, without which she would’ve just won the bronze.
Chiles further went on to say that Ferlito’s coach also defended her by stating that the physical attributes favor the blacks in gymnastics. The Italians also said this is why we don’t see people of color swimming. Such a reaction took both Chiles and Biles by surprise. The fact that the gymnasts of color were looked so much down upon made Chiles heartbroken.
But Chiles took her shots at Carlotta. In her book, she mentions, “She looks homeless. She doesn’t deserve that medal. What big arms and hands and a huge neck you have. Artistry in women’s gymnastics died when Nastia retired sadly!” She further went on to express her frustration at the modern state of gymnastics. She mentions, “The sport is now ugly-looking! ZERO beauty, it’s all acrobatics! I so miss the 80s, 90s & early 2000s era.” While one might say that these statements are outright harsh, such was the deep scar that Chiles suffered.
But this wasn’t the end of it. Valeri Liuken, the father of the aforementioned Nastia, was also asked his take on these comments. He, too, came up with some surprising comments of his own. Valeri stated that modern-day gymnastics is inclined towards power and strength more than artistry and finesse! It seems nobody was over taking digs at black gymnasts. All these so early in her career gave Jordan Chiles a sneak peek into what’s to come. Meanwhile, Carlotta has long since issued her apology for the comments she made about Biles.
Italian gymnast had to apologize to Biles following her derogatory remark
It was October 2013. Italian gymnast Carlotta Ferlito has apologized for a controversial comment. Ferlito remarked on the balance beam final at the World Championships back in 2013. Ferlito, who finished fifth in the event, sparked backlash when she said, “I told Vane (Ferrari) that next time we’ll have our skin black also so we can win, too,” according to The Associated Press.
Biles had won bronze after her initial score was upgraded following a successful inquiry. Following the uproar, Ferlito issued an apology through her unverified Twitter (now X) account, translated from Italian. Additionally, Italian Gymnastics Federation spokesman David Ciaralli also apologized for the comments he made about the matter.
Ciaralli had suggested that gymnastics was moving toward a style favoring “athletes of color (well-known for power)” over the traditional artistic style of Eastern European gymnasts. He then later expressed regret. He shared with the Chicago Tribune, “Possibly in saying this, I made a mistake, and I am sorry. What I said was my thoughts, not the official thoughts of the federation.”
USA Gymnastics condemned the remarks. The then President of US Gymnastics, Steve Penny, stated, “Gymnastics is a global and inclusive sport with talented athletes, and there is no place for racial insensitivity.” Biles’ father, Ron, called Ferlito’s comment “very insulting,” while her mother, Nellie, advised her daughter not to dwell on it. “I told her, ‘Don’t get roped into this,’ and ‘Don’t let those comments ruin this moment for you,” she said. So, what do you guys think? How far is the truth? And is Jordan Chiles healed from all this?
The post Heartbroken by Hate Toward Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles Reveals Gymnastics Truth About the 2013 Fiasco appeared first on EssentiallySports.
