Olympic silver medalist Jordan Chiles recounted racist remarks she endured while competing as a child in a sport that’s historically lacked diversity. Days before the Olympics kick off in Paris , the 23-year-old gymnast opened up to Teen Vogue about the vicious comments she’s faced — and how she learned to ignore the hate and “live life to the fullest.” “Some lady in the crowd basically was like, ‘She doesn’t deserve to be on the floor.
She doesn’t even look like anybody else,’” Chiles said. “People were racially attacking me without me even really knowing,” the athlete continued. “I’m young, so I only know the story because my mom told me.
Security had to come and say, ‘Ma’am, she’s doing everything just like everybody else.’” “I’ve gotten medals taken away from me. I’ve been told that my mom wasn’t my mom.
I’ve gotten told that I wasn’t Black,” Chiles told the magazine. She also recalled derogatory comments made about her hair and body that made her feel like an outcast in the sport. This isn’t the first time Chiles has spoken out about racism she’s faced in the sport.
She told My New Favorite Olympian podcast that she even considered quitting over the attacks: “I wanted to be done because I didn’t think the sport wanted me. I didn’t think people around me wanted to see a beautiful Black girl in a [leotard] anymore.” Only 8 percent of NCAA female gymnasts are Black, while 64 percent who are white, according t.