Amidst Athletes Earning Millions Through Social Media, US Gymnastics? Final Five-Member Details the Horrors of ?Cyberbullying?

Jordan Chiles has been steadily improving as a gymnast as her career advances. While the highest point in her career so far has been winning silver at the?Tokyo Olympics, as it was a signal of bigger things to come. Currently, Chiles is in tremendous form. She was part of the USA?gymnastics?team that won the historic sixth consecutive team title in the world championships. The 21-year-old is also one of the five USA women heading to the Paris Olympic Games. Despite her success, Chiles has been having trouble dealing with cyberbullying.

On March 10, the Olympic silver medalist spoke during the latest session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. During her address, the 21-year-old talked about dealing with bullying online. A stark contrast to a gymnast like Olivia Dunne, who is?earning millions from social media.

A dilemma Jordan Chiles faces

During her address, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)?gymnastics team member revealed she had difficulty dealing with cyberbullying.?“If there is a video posted of me online – it’s really hard not looking at the comments, knowing somebody is criticising you,”?said the Olympic silver medalist.

The Olympian’s university team is currently ranked fourth in America. Chiles’s individual ranking is even higher, as the number two gymnast, nationally. However, despite her recent success and an Olympic medal, the former teammate of?Simone Biles?feels the pangs of negative comments online.?“Social media is something that I personally dislike,”?she said.

However, she is also facing a dilemma?“because I know as athletes that’s our platform, that’s what we use. So it’s really hard to step away from,”?said a UCLA sophomore.?“As a female athlete, it’s really hard being able to have that ability to continue your sport when there’s so much cyber-bullying going around,”?said Jordan Chiles at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

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However, her experience on social media is quite different compared to Louisiana State University gymnastics star, Oliva Dunne.

Monetizing social media presence

LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne is arguably the most popular gymnast on social media. Dunne saw her popularity skyrocket after integrating gymnastics and the latest TikTok trends. Soon the sponsorships began flowing in, and she used her name, image, and likeness (NIL), to monetize her social media presence, earning millions in the process. While Dunne is yet to make it to the Olympic or World Championships stage, her social media popularity dwarfs Chiles’s.

However, the 21-year-old hasn’t let the trolls dent her performance. In fact, in an exclusive interview with?Olympics.com, the Olympian said she often uses online negativity to fuel her success.?“You guys can keep doubting no matter what, it’s not going to change who we are,”?the Olympian said.

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What’s your take on the concerns Jordan Chiles raised? Write your thoughts in the comments.