Black girl in Gymnastics Ireland medal-snub controversy offered US scholarship

The young black girl who found herself at the centre of an international controversy after she was allegedly snubbed at a medal ceremony in Dublin has been awarded a gymnastics scholarship to Princeton University.

In a video viewed by millions of people online, the 10-year-old athlete was passed over by a judge at an event in Tallaght in 2022, leaving the only black girl in a line of medallists without a medal. The incident was brought to global attention by four-time Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles, who said it had broken her heart to see the footage, adding: “There is no room for racism in any sport or at all.”

Now aged 12, the hugely promising athlete has been awarded a gymnastics scholarship to Princeton University in New Jersey, the Irish Mirror can exclusively reveal. The Ivy League university is one of the most prestigious in the world, and counts Michelle Obama, Jeff Bezos, Alan Turing, and Woodrow Wilson among its most famous alumni.

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Gymnastics Ireland was widely criticised over the controversy after it emerged that it did not attend mediation that took place with the girl’s family following the incident, and took almost 18 months to issue an apology. The organisation also stopped the volunteer judge who passed by the young gymnast during the medal ceremony from apologising directly to the girl and her family around three weeks after the incident.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror, the girl’s mother said she could never have imagined that there would be such a happy ending to the distress, hurt and upset caused by the medal snub and ensuing controversy.

“I’m still in shock myself because the opportunity is so great, it’s amazing. The whole thing, honestly, is beyond words,” she said before the family flew out to the US last weekend. And the little gymnast herself is “beyond excited”, according to her mum, who paid tribute to her daughter’s resolve, remarking: “No matter what, she keeps her head up.”

The 12-year-old has continued to excel at gymnastics since the controversy, but is also immensely talented in other sports, including sprinting, high jump, shot put, and javelin having won All-Ireland medals and setting provincial records for her age group.

Ken McCue of the Dr Harry Edwards International Foundation on Sport for Social Change, who supported the family following the medal controversy, congratulated the young athlete but was scathing of national sports authorities. Asked if it would like to comment on the news that the young girl had been offered a scholarship at Princeton University, a spokeswoman for Gymnastics Ireland said they were “delighted”.

“We are also heartened that she continues as a member of Gymnastics Ireland and are pleased that she has continued to participate in our events with her club teammates,” she added. “We would like to wish her and her family every success for the future.”

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