Superstar gymnast Simone Biles has effectively quit the Olympics after withdrawing from the team due to a mental issue. The bombshell news comes after a less-than-stellar performance from Biles. The 4’8″ star Olympian fell far short of the standard that she set for herself on one particular stunt. The move called for 2.5 spins in the air and she only accomplished 1.5 spins. Biles later said she got “lost in the air”. She also nearly fell down upon a severely stumbled landing after the spin attempt. This prompted a visit from on-site trainers and an eventual withdrawal from the competition.
USA Gymnastics initially stated that Simone Biles suffered an “unspecified medical issue” after the awkward landing. Although the official reason was not given, people just assumed that she suffered an injury. Biles appeared at a press conference later on and gave the actual reason. She stated that the Olympics has been mentally tough on her due to being the “head star” of the team. Biles went on to state that there is “more to life than just gymnastics”. Simone Biles essentially quit the Olympics due to the pressure to perform well being too much to bear. For this, she has received heaping doses of praise from athletes, journalists, news types, and regular people alike. Praising mental problems is a recent phenomenon that is much bigger than Simone Biles.
The drama surrounding Naomi Osaka is a perfect example of modern society in the United States praising mental failure. Osaka is a rising superstar tennis player who famously defeated Serena Williams (much to the outspoken Williams’ sister chagrin). She has been fairly shy and soft-spoken when speaking to the media throughout much of her time in the spotlight. Osaka eventually decided to simply drop out of certain events like the US Open and/or protest speaking to the media at all. Her cited reason was to preserve her mental health. Ironically enough, this move actually rose Osaka’s stardom and caused her image to become even more saturated on television and in magazines.
Other athletes most certainly have taken notice of this phenomenon and they are probably using the Olympics as a springboard for more attention. Another example is the hammer-thrower, Gwen Berry. She proudly posed with the American Flag and her competition uniform in years past. Now, all of a sudden she is a social justice warrior who refuses to stand for the anthem. She drapes an obvious promotional t-shirt over her head that says “activist athlete” while receiving her medal. There are countless more examples of this type of behavior that is mostly accepted by leftists in the United States and the mainstream media. Things were not always this way.
Just about two or three years ago, a young man by the name of Markelle Fultz was excoriated for exhibiting signs of mental illness that affected his play. Fultz was the #1 overall NBA Draft pick of the Philadelphia 76ers back in 2017. His career in Philly was plagued with inconsistency and obvious mental problems such as his “hitch” at the free-throw line. Sympathy for being a young man drafted first overall in a hostile environment was the last thing on the table for Fultz. He was ridiculed for his failure to perform and he was eventually traded to the Orlando Magic. Fultz blossomed on the Magic in one of the greatest improvement stories of league history.
Countless other male athletes have a similar story to Markelle Fultz. And some of these stories do not necessarily have the happiest of endings. The overall point here is that modern society in the United States heaps praise upon members of protected classes when they express weakness. This includes “women of color” and the LGBTQ crowd. When it comes to non-protected classes, the narrative shifts. Young people realize this and it is most likely a contributing factor to the gender confusion displayed on social media apps like TikTok. The more ridiculous and outlandish a person can be with their victimhood status, the more attention and fake adoration that is lavished upon them by total strangers.
Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka may very well have mental issues. But they should not be praised as top-tier athletes for revealing this information. They should visit a doctor, handle it on their own, or do something to fix it. Meanwhile, if they cannot perform as an athlete at a high level, then they shouldn’t be viewed as great. There is always room for redemption. Until that time, they should be judged for where they actually are competitively rather than for exposing their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Victimhood is not a competitive sport.
SOURCES:
Simone Biles ‘super frustrated’ after Olympics withdrawal
Simone Biles says physically she feels ‘good’ but ‘it varies’ emotionally
Aly Raisman proud of Simone Biles — Took ‘bravery’ to withdraw from Olympic gymnastics team final
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