A video of a Gymnastics Ireland official who intentionally skipped a young black gymnast during a medal ceremony in Dublin has sparked outrage on social media.
The video shared by a user named Mohamad Safa, via X on Friday, 22nd September, 2023, shows an official handing out medals to winners at the GymSTART competition held in Dublin.
The official skips the Black girl and hands other children their medals during the ceremony.
Initially, the girl is seen smiling becomes disappointed after being ignored by the official.
Gymnastics Ireland in a statement issued after the video went viral, revealed that the incident took place in 2022.
They noted that both parties agreed to enter mediation, which led to a resolution agreed by both parties in August 2023.
We identified the official concerned and informed the individual in question of the complaint. The official in question accepted fully that what had happened was unacceptable but stressed that it had not been intentional.
Gymnastic Ireland.
They also disclosed that the official issued a written apology to the gymnast and her family after they rejected her initial request to personally apologise to them.
The gymnastics body said the organizers after realizing what had happened immediately rectified it and ensured that the gymnast received her medal before she left the pavilion.
Many social media users accused Gymnastics Ireland of trying to downplay the issue and insisted that the woman intentionally snubbed the black girl.
Olympic gymnastic champion, Simone Biles, also reacted to the viral video as she described the incident as ‘heartbreaking’.
Biles disclosed that she sent the little girl a video and added that racism had no place in sports .
Story: Ihuoma Ukeje