In the world of gymnastics, the athletes often find themselves on a battlefield that reaches far beyond the mat. Jordan Chiles, for instance, had faced a heartbreaking wave of racist comments online, a stark reminder of the struggles many endure while striving for greatness. The incidents do not only confirm that racism in sports is still a brief fact, but they are also the results of athletes who suffer racism but do not abandon their dreams. Although the series of racial derogations follows, one Black gymnast, in particular, suffered racial abuse while she used some modifications in her sport.

Olympic medalist, Tonya Paulsson is facing racism as she decided to switch national teams to Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), her country. While she absconded from the Swedish ruling elite of gymnastics over untrustworthy leadership, her relocation has triggered a severe racist backlash in her homeland. Her story, along with the difficulties Chiles went through, has revealed how athletes maneuver personally and publicly through life challenges. Why did Paulsson choose Taiwan?

Tonya Paulsson faced trolling over her country’s change

The racist attack on athletes is the worst thing we can come across; Paulsson is facing racism for the shift of team, whereas Jordan Chiles faced racism in the bronze medal controversy with Romania’s Ana Barbosu when Chiles’ score was neglected and Barbosu was declared the winner by the Court of Arbitration (CAS). Among the racist trolls, there are positive people, however, who support Paulsson, and the same has happened with Chiles. One of the supporters is Australian gymnast Heath Thorpe; he commented on the post, “Proud of you for taking this step for yourself. Excited for the future.”

Tonya Paulsson has recently announced her allegiance switch from Sweden to Taiwan, her mother’s home country on Instagram. The caption of the post starts with, “I love gymnastics, and it has been a big part of my life for many years. I have achieved several milestones and dreams, and I definitely have much more to give.” She further added a thanks note for teammates, “I am very grateful for the opportunities I have received and the support from my teammates all along.” Paulsson’s incident can also be related to another incident that involved another gymnast, Kaylia Nemour, who has also been trolled for her shifting to Algeria from France.

Tonya Paulsson also revealed that she could take the decision due to the support of her coaches. She added, “This decision was made thanks to the coaches in Taiwan who cheer for what I have achieved and believe in what we can further develop together.” The main reason for this switch is trust; she has lost trust in Sweden’s gymnastics team, and she thinks that they won’t help in reaching her goals. “I have lost my trust in the leadership style of the Swedish national team and do not see that they will support me along the way to achieving my goals. Therefore, I am changing my sports nationality to give myself the best opportunities to fulfill my dreams and goals.”, said Paulsson.

Tonya Paulsson was a part of the artistic gymnastics team of Sweden, and the team reached the finals for the first time in the European Championship in Italy. Tonya Paulsson is doing this shift as she is not feeling comfortable in the training environment. Keeping trolls aside, Paulsson has taken a bold decision to make this shift when her career is at its peak. The 21-year-old gymnast’s decision is very brave, also because she is standing against something unfair, and chose the right path for herself. When Jordan Chiles faced racism over the bronze medal controversy, she faced it gracefully as well. Do you know how Jordan Chiles reacted?

How did Jordan Chiles react to the trolls?

When Chiles faced backlash due to the bronze controversy in the 2024 Paris Olympics, she shared her feelings on social media. She wrote, “I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow not just to me but to everyone who has championed my journey.”

Recently, Chiles attended the Teen Vogue Summit, which celebrated the completion of 21 years of their magazine as a keynote speaker. When Teen Vogue’s Associate Editor, Aiyana Ishmael, asked about the trolling, Chiles said, “I use every negative comment—everything that’s thrown at me. And I use it to continue on my task, my journey.”

The 23-year-old gymnast didn’t hold back and further shared how it was a dream to compete in the Olympics. Though the road was not easy to reach there, Chiles did all to fight the pressure, tough training, and whatnot. Still getting so much hate is not something anyone signs up for. Jordan Chiles even raised a question, “People will always expect you to do something, but when I look at those people, I ask those people, ‘Why do you expect something out of me when I’m the one doing it?”

Now, Jordan Chiles has made a decision for herself: the gymnast is going to make a triumphant return to the NCAA with UCLA. Racism or any kind of troll mentally affects the athletes and their performances. Let’s hope for the best for Jordan Chiles and Tonya Paulsson in their future. What is your take on this matter? Do let us know through the comments.