In the aftermath of Simone Biles’s withdrawal from the Olympic Games, Sunisa Lee has told Americans what they want Olympic competitors to say: that Team USA does not “owe anyone a gold medal.”
The 18-year-old expressed herself on Twitter on Tuesday, telling everyone that the U.S. Women’s Gymnastic Team are “WINNERS” in their hearts.
The U.S. team fell from the top on Tuesday after Simone Bile’s disastrous performance at the vault in the team final. Biles cited the emotional stress of being the sports “head star” as the reason for bowing out. She had left the possibility for her performance in individual events; however, she opted out of the Olympic events entirely.
Jade Carey will fill Biles’s spot on Team USA.
Herman Edwards once famously said, âyou play to win the game,â of course, Team USA does not “owe” anyone a gold medal.
It is expected that athletes can be compromised by things they can not control during the competition, such as injuries; however, it is harder for people to accept when athletes succumb to something within their control, such as their “mental well-being.”
While Team USA doesn’t owe anyone a gold medal, America does not “owe” its athletes unconditional praise, admiration, or endorsements, in the event of an emotional\mental lapse during the most critical competition in the world.