Simone is out of the AA, VT, UB and FX

[JaJa]

It’s the Landi’s who haven’t said anything. Cecile, who is usually quick to engage on twitter, hasn’t mentioned Simone at all.

I do not consider USAG saying “:Simone you made us proud” to be saying something. Look, the moment is gone. But USAG, the Landis and Tom ALL needed to get out there fairly quickly with clear messages as to what happened and why Simone literally could not compete.

 

[dco1987]

Cecile has liked a good few things on Twitter but yes, no public statements. I’m surprised is all. Like this really is one of the biggest upsets ever. No one predicted this happening. I’d have thought Laurent as head coach and Simone’s coach would have said something.

Simone just posted a pic of her with Cecile and the team doctor- glad to have such great support by side post. No pic of Laurent though.

 

[JaJa]

The description of the twisties sounds vaguely like a mild cousin version of vertigo to me. When I have a vertigo attack, I go blind, can’t tell up from down, front from back, feel like I’m in a vacuum, and I have no control of my body. It can’t be controlled or predicted. I don’t know how long it will last; could be a day or over a week and it is all caused by my ears.

I agree. I have also had a bout of severe vertigo. Out of the blue if I turned my head up in a certain direction I became so dizzy I would fall down. It was startling and very frightening. I went to an ENT who was completely unhelpful but did tell me it was a vestibular issue. Then a random friend who had had it taught me how to get rid of it by – in a safe physical environment – repeating the very movements that brought it on in an exagerated sort of violent way. It worked. It just went away. But if it had not and if I just continued to go to doctors who could not treat it it could have become incapacitating. And if I listened to the (few) people who suggested it was stress induced I might have been susceptible to believeing it was a “mental health” issue. (well not really but you get my point)

 

[shirai]

I mean, none of this really sets the record straight. There has been so much awful vitriol and hate directed her way from all corners. Way more than I ever expected, she even has Deputy Attorney Generals calling her a “selfish embarassment” and news columns denigrating her.

USAG really owed her some damage control and a proper defence detailing that replacing her in line-ups was for the benefit of the team, that this wasn’t simply a case of not wanting to compete but being unable to due to loss of air-awareness and that continuing would’ve been a huge risk.

 

[rlayt]

I have also had vertigo. It’s incapacitating. Like you all I find it gives me insight and sympathy for what Simone is going through. Not the same but a little insight.

 

[JaJa]

I mean, none of this really sets the record straight.

That is exactly correct. Anyone who works in the damage control area or knows anything about it knows that steps need to be taken very quickly. After the news cycle passes (which is basically has) its just too late to “set the record straight.” Everyone and their brother has weighed in on this at this point except the very people who needed to – USAG, the Landis and Tom. And its just too late for anything coming from them to correct the misinformation out there. This kind of behavior is reflective of the endless missteps taken by USAG after the Nassar scandal. Its just an inept organization in so many ways.

 

[Doug1233]

I can tell you that it’s SUCH a good feeling when the twisties leaves your body. You can almost feel it slip out of you.

But even after it’s gone, you still have a period of anxiety in your head that it might come back. It’s not a “bam! You’re cured!” Situation.

 

[JaJa]

How did you get rid of them?

 

[Doug1233]

One day, they just didn’t happen anymore.

 

[JusticeMom]

Perhaps Simone asked them to stay quiet. I have to remind myself Simone is 24 and very capable of speaking for herself and is doing so quite well. Tom is a different issue because he speaks for the delegation.

 

[Doug1233]

Dom made a video about it in June:

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdc8j3k5/

 

[Kara]

Simone has stated very clearly from the beginning that she didn’t feel safe to compete; that really should be all anyone “needs” to know. No one is owed a more detailed explanation; though Simone very graciously has given that too. While it would be nice for Tom and crew to come out and support her; I’m not sure what they could add at this point that would make any difference. Those who get it, get it, and those that think Simone is a quitter aren’t going to change their minds no matter what is said.

 

[makam]

I wonder is such a high profile introduction to twisties will induce someone to research them and try to pin down the cause.

 

[MRR]

It’s de rigueur to pile on Tom right now, but I’m amazed what a poor defense he has given for Simone and the U.S. team at large. A Facebook post after team finals is cute, but it’s immaterial when he doesn’t take the bull by the horns with the press. Answering a “couple questions” is woefully inadequate.

The strange thing is there was a lot to spin positively regarding the team’s performance, especially under such calamitous, unforeseen circumstances. He had an opportunity to defend rank order: Grace and Jordan both performed AA with the latter competing two events she wasn’t warmed up for. Each of the unscheduled routines (Chiles UB/BB, Lee FX) outscored their effort in prelims. The U.S. even kept Russia on their toes until the last rotation, which was a far stronger bid than anybody could have surmised after vault.

WRT Simone, what should’ve been clear is how a +1 substitute was NEVER allowed after prelims, but for a positive COVID case. Simone deserved some form of back up when misinformation was flying that Skinner should have replaced her, when such a provision didn’t exist. That she had the presence of mind to withdraw after one event as opposed to risking the whole meet was monumental, and balking on a vault with a previous 100% hit ratio indicated the problem was grave.

It’s unfortunate, because this was as good a test as any to see whether the culture has changed and if USAG is interested in going the extra mile to protect and defend its athletes. I’m not convinced that’s been achieved, and Tom pinning all the questions on Annie Hefferton is bizarre at best and cowardly at worst. If he’s the team coordinator, he should be heard from readily and easily.

 

[JaJa]

I have to remind myself Simone is 24 and very capable of speaking for herself and is doing so quite well.

Here I can not agree. I have represented quite a number of high profile clients. They are all adults and very successful in their fields. But they are not pros when it comes to crisis control and PR. We have heavy hitter PR people who specialize in dealing with crisis control to call in for that – you never just leave people to fend for themselves saying “hey you are an adult and you are very capable of speaking for yourself.” In my case it would be serious malpractice. Not sure how to characterize it in the case of USAG but same idea.

 

[Doug1233]

The media this morning is reporting Simone’s IG posts last night as “highlighting a mental health condition known as the twisties”.

I don’t think it’s helpful to label this as a “mental health” condition. It’s a mental block which can CAUSE anxiety (and physical INABILITY).

But framing everything as a “mental health condition” I think does a disservice to actual mental health conditions. Not everything in your head is a mental health condition.

 

[Doug1233]

Simone has now apparently deleted all those IG posts last night.

 

[Doug1233]

I don’t even think this is a mental health condition.

She physically cannot do some of her skills.

 

[Seyonne]

I’m wondering if it’s somehow against the rules that she is training at another facility with pits. That could be seen as special treatment. It could also run afoul of covid rules.

 

[JaJa]

I don’t even think this is a mental health condition.

She physically cannot do some of her skills.

This is exactly my point. Just like when I had vertigo it was not a “mental health” issue. It does Simone a serious disservice. Not that there is anything wrong with admitting to a mental health issue when and if an athlete has one. But I seriously doubt that is what this is.