First Olympic Week in 3 Minutes: Celine Dion Got $0 for Performance, Simone Biles’ Injury Called ‘Staged,’ & More
Celine Dion was not compensated for her Olympic appearance.
There was a reason Simone Biles did not attend the Opening Ceremony; her leg problem was deemed “staged,” and others requested her to “fix” her hair.
Concern was raised by the public when Jade Carey went days without eating before the competition.
For competing in the Olympics, Simone Biles was paid nothing, and she was compensated 20 times less than other gymnasts for winning a gold medal.
Ruby Evans, a gymnast, was dubbed “the prettiest” lady at the competition, and swimmer Thomas Ceccon, “the most gorgeous” man.
@cbcnews There has been a rise in athletes speaking out about menstruation but some experts say that’s not enough to make the subject less taboo. Period (literally). #Periods #Sports #Health #Paris2024 #News
It’s Friday, which means our weekly digest is ready! Some of the most striking and talked-about events from the first week of the Paris Olympics are featured in this compilation. Continue reading to learn why everyone is talking about Simone Biles’ leg problem, which many believe was “staged,” Celine Dion’s zero-dollar performance, the two athletes who the public deemed to be the most beautiful competitors at the games, and much more.
Why Was Celine Dion’s Paris performance rewarded with nothing?
One of the most recognizable voices in music, Celine Dion, made a breathtaking comeback to the stage at the Paris opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics.
In addition to being a turning point in Dion’s career, the occasion demonstrated her resiliency in the wake of her struggle with Stiff-Person Syndrome. This is all the information you require regarding the much awaited performance.
Dion made her Olympic debut at the opening ceremony on Friday, July 26, her first appearance since receiving a health diagnosis two years prior. She performed the beloved song “La Vie en Rose” by Édith Piaf onstage with Lady Gaga, according to TMZ.
The song is well-known to Gaga, who performed it brilliantly in her 2018 film “A Star Is Born.” Dion, on the other hand, wore a Dior outfit that included a black and pink feather cape, bringing a glamorous touch to the occasion.
At first, TMZ said that Dion would receive an incredible $2 million for her performance, with the Olympics paying for all of her travel costs, including boats and jets. However, a representative for the Paris 2024 Games later refuted this assertion.
It was made clear by Page Six that athletes would not be paid for their performances at the Games. Rather, the organization paid for various performance-related charges as well as technical production costs. This choice demonstrated the performers’ dedication to taking part in a historic occasion as opposed to performing for personal benefit.
Dion’s performance was especially noteworthy in light of her recent health issues. The adored celebrity has a disorder called stiff-person syndrome, or SPS.
A uncommon autoimmune neurological condition called stiff-person syndrome results in painful, increasing muscle stiffness and rigidity. It can negatively affect mobility and quality of life and is progressive.
Regarding Dion’s comeback to performance, Cleveland Clinic SPS specialist Dr. Pavan Tankha voiced cautious optimism. Although her return is promising, there are a lot of unknowns. Large-scale performance events may be dangerous because to their ability to cause SPS symptoms due to factors like warmth, stress, and high noise.
Strict environmental controls and relaxation methods were crucial to reducing these dangers. In addition, Dion required prompt access to off-stage medical care in order to handle any unexpected spasms, which can endure anywhere from a few seconds to several hours.
Fans’ responses to the announcement of Dion’s performance were mixed, ranging from praise to condemnation. “She should do it [for] free,” one person said, while another stated, “No need for money. Perform because you love it.”
“Thank you finally the truth [sic],” some users said in appreciation of the information provided about her payment. Others were hoping for her recovery, with one person writing, “Well good for her. I hope she gets through it with no ill effects. She been through a lot with her illness [sic].”
What Was Going on with Simone Biles’s Leg, Her Hair, and the Opening Ceremony?
Simone Biles, an Olympic gymnast, has gained popularity for several reasons. Discover why everyone is talking about the 27-year-old, from missing the opening ceremony to having a leg problem.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony on July 26, throngs of competitors cruised down the Seine River in Paris. But for a very special reason, which her devoted mother Nellie Biles said, Simone and a few other gymnasts from the U.S.A. squad were conspicuously missing from the groups.
Nellie revealed to Hoda Kotb on “Today” that the women’s qualification is the first competition on Sunday, and she naturally has to recover before that event.
Simone encountered difficulties during the competition on July 28, the second day of the Olympics, during the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Qualification. The little athlete was seen in video from the event sitting alongside Marcia Faustin, the doctor for the U.S.A. Gymnastics team.
After the two women briefly vanished, Simone reappeared with medical tape encircling her left leg. The gymnast reportedly had to have her leg taped after causing a calf strain during her floor exercise warm-up.
Even though the news source also claims that Simone was observed limping around the arena, once she entered the competition area, she concealed her limp.
Her resilience and will to go on in spite of injury stand in stark contrast to her decision three years prior at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics to withdraw from the finals in order to safeguard her health. This in turn led to a public conversation about mental health on a large scale.
After learning that Simone had hurt herself during a warm-up, a lot of people expressed their opinions online, with the majority of them being critical of her. “Smart. This time, if she wants to quit, she can blame injury instead of nerves,” a user on X remarked.
Somebody else on social media said, “Staged.” Another person said, “The Drama Queen. Pretends to get hurt and then wins in order to get all the attention and steal the spotlight.”
An onlooker remarked, “It’s always something with her; she’s not hurt; she just wants attention.” Someone else said, “Simone Biles hurt her leg today and is still leading in the standing. These people can’t do nothing with her.”
In the middle of the criticism, there was a remark endorsing Simone, particularly in regards to her perseverance and determination.
An admirer complimented Simone alongside an Oscars gif that featured Hollywood luminaries responding with a standing ovation to something that had the words “BRAVO!!!!” connected to the image.
They complimented, “Me in my living room at 3AM watching Simone Biles smash her floor routine on a taped up leg. #OlympicGames.”
In addition to her leg issue, Simone’s accomplishment of participating in her tournament despite having a strained calf has generated a lot of excitement.
Simone became the first female Olympic vaulter to hit a Yurchenko double pike in video footage that went viral. It is regarded as the “hardest vault in the world.” People were nevertheless worried about the gymnast after witnessing her perform while suffering from a calf injury.
“Oh no, I hope she’s not hurt because she seems to be limping a little,” a bystander who saw the YouTube video said. “She hurt her foot or ankle… someone needs to ask her about it,” another person said.
A few others concentrated on Simone’s hairstyle. Instagram user said, “She’s awesome 👏 but can someone fix her hair for her please?!” “@Simone_Biles can we get a hair braid or something,” exclaimed a user on X, concluding their message with an I-can’t-look face emoji.
Simone’s hair was criticized harshly by one social media user, who wrote, “#SimoneBiles should have had a #FBA Beautician Do Her Hair In A Ballerina Style Updo/Bun, Or A Sleek Ponytail Before She Left For The #OlympicGames […] #Olympics […] #Paris #ParisOlympics2024 #Olympic2024.”
Why Was Jade Carey Not Allowed to Eat Prior to the Competition?
24 year old gymnast Jade Carey, a superstar, had some difficult moments during the Olympics in Paris. The gymnast for Team USA has made open remarks about her health and how it has affected her performance in gymnastics contests. Concern for her arose after a widely distributed video of one of her performances went viral.
The 24-year-old’s Olympic experience this year appears to be significantly different from three years ago, when she won a gold medal in the floor exercise discipline at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
After the first day of the women’s tournament on July 28, Carey said in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, “I just haven’t been feeling well the past few days and haven’t been able to eat or anything.”
Carey added, “I had, like, no energy today and didn’t really have a sense of what was going on in my head.” It was claimed that Carey had been the only member of the US team to talk to the media.
She concluded by making it clear that she wasn’t just anxious about competing; rather, the purpose of sharing this information is to raise public awareness that there is a health issue.
More background on the circumstances may be found in a TikTok video that shows Carey performing during the occasion. In the video, Carey can be seen performing backflips, forwardflips, and airborne somersaults while competing.
But after her last flip, she stumbles and falls to the ground just as she gets to her feet. Carey stopped herself from rolling off the mat by using her hands as back springs to decrease the force of the fall.
Many people expressed their concern about Carey on social media after watching that video, particularly in regards to her physical appearance. “As a fellow Extremely Pale Girl and mom of Pale Children Who Get Sick, I thought she looked extra wan today from the jump. Poor kid,” a reader said.
In relation to Carey’s disclosure that she had been feeling under the weather for a few days, another person said, “I thought she looked really pale and out of it.” Still another person said, “Days!? Shouldn’t USAG have subbed in Josc in this case?”
Someone on TikTok wrote, “[Watching] it live was so scary [I] literally was silent.” Someone else added, “[She] was sick and it looks like you can tell and the lack of eating anything she looks like the routine was disorienting her.” to the discussion.
Following the July 28 Women’s Qualification event, Carey posted on Instagram about her performance.
She wrote in her caption, “all heart 🤍 not the day i was expecting to have but i can’t thank you all enough for the love and support. i am so proud of this team and what we accomplished today,” next to a carousel of pictures of her and her teammates from the occasion.
Carey concluded her post with a resolute tone, saying, “we’re not done yet.” As her caption pointed out, the USA women’s gymnastics team still had events to compete in, including the floor, vault, uneven bars, and balancing beam.
How Much Cash Did Simone Biles Actually Receive for the Olympics in Paris?
Reports detailing the compensation received by participating athletes for medals at the Paris Olympics have been made public by news outlets. Many people were shocked to learn how much money Simone Biles and the other members of the US gymnastics team had made from their gold medal wins, with some saying it was insufficient.
Apparently, the nations competing provide their athletes with bonuses in cash, even though the International Olympic Committee does not award prizes for medals.
The US ranks tenth in the world for Olympic medal bonuses, according to data compiled by CNBC from local reports, sports associations, and national Olympic committees.
it comes in lower on the list than Hong Kong, which is the nation that pays its athletes the most for winning the Olympics at the moment. They will receive a total of $768,000.
Statistics show that, excluding Hong Kong (number 1), the top ten nations that offer the highest payouts for gold medal wins are Israel ($275,000), Serbia ($218,000), Malaysia ($214,000), Italy ($196,000), Lithuania ($182,000), Moldova ($171,000), Latvia ($155,000), Hungary ($154,000), and Bulgaria ($139,000).
The United States pays out $38,000 to its competitors who have so far finished on the podium with gold, according to CNBC. Bronze winners receive $15,000. Silver winners receive $23,000.
The fascinating thing—and the topic of debate on the internet—is that, in contrast to other professional athletes, US gymnasts competing in the trials receive no compensation.
Moreover, athletes from the United States in particular are not compensated for competing in the Olympics. Their medal winners do, however, receive cash awards.
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee will provide a $37,500 incentive to every athlete who wins a gold medal, according to Forbes.
The renowned gymnast Simone Biles is ranked number 16 on the list of 20 female athletes by the same media, which is based on their calculation of the highest-paid female athletes in the world from last year (2023).
By the time the results were tallied, she had earned a total of $7.1 million. Biles tied with Indian badminton star P.V. for the $7 million that comes from what Forbes refers to as “off-field” activities. The remaining $0.1 million was earned “on-field.” Sindhu.
Many social media users have voiced dismay about the US’s earnings after realizing how much money each country has made for their medal wins in the Olympics so far in 2024.
They also talked a lot about the $37,500 incentive that the United States will provide its athletes—including the gymnastics team and Biles—for winning gold medals.
One Instagram user wrote, “Embarrassing,” in the comments section of a post that listed the top 10 gold medal bonuses by country. “US gets way too many golds to be matching this level of payout,” said another.
An internet observer wrote, “The United States needs to reevaluate what they pay for gold medals. 🧐.” However, other individuals believe that the US bonus amount is more than reasonable.
“To be fair the amount of gold medals Simone [Biles] wins is more than the equivalent,” said an internet user. “If it’s per gold medal, Simone Biles can walk away with $187,500!!!” shouted a Facebook user.
Who Are Ruby Evans and Thomas Ceccon, Known as the Most Beautiful Athletes?
There is general agreement among the public over whether two of the athletes competing in the Paris Olympic Games are the most attractive. The young woman is from the gymnastics team in Great Britain, while the young male is from the swimming team in Italy.
Thomas Ceccon is a proud swimmer for Italy who makes people drool with his endearing appearance. Having participated in two Olympic swimming competitions before the Paris Games, the 2001-born athlete has quite the resume.
The gifted Italian swimmer has excelled in all of his competitions, including the 100-meter backstroke, where he won a gold medal. The Paris Olympics have been no different.
The attractive, blue-eyed young man is shown talking to an interviewer in a video that Vogue Magazine posted on TikTok. He is wearing the gold medal he won around his neck.
Vogue coupled the video with the famous song “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want” by music icon Rihanna, specifically the part that features the lyrics, “I’m in love. I’m obsessed,” highlighting the post’s ironic purpose.
The publication captioned the photo, saying, “Yes, we are watching the Olympics for the ‘plot’… #thomasceccon.” Given how many people have been swooning over the swimmer, Ceccon’s good looks are not limited to enthralling Vogue.
Following their viewing of Vogue’s film, a fan said, “He is the most gorgeous man I have ever seen.” Another said, “[Those] ocean eyes😩🙏.” “Hottest swimmer at #Olympics […] is definitely 🇮🇹 Italy’s #ThomasCeccon 😍 Gold medalist of 100m breaststroke!” exclaimed a fan.
In a similar vein, another fan said, “I gotta say, if I were a young single Olympic athlete, I’d be looking around that Olympic Village for Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon. Because not only can the man swim, he is Greek god gorgeous [sic].”
The “Greek god’s” charm and swimming talent have impressed many, but Ceccon always felt he was meant to be great.
“As a child, I knew that I could have won,” he revealed in an Italian interview with a media outlet following his gold medal victory. “When I was a kid, I went in the car to training with Alberto (the coach, ed.). He asked me what my dream was, and I said, ‘to win the Olympics.’ He said, ‘Calm down, one thing at a time.'”
Welsh gymnast Ruby Evans is another Olympian competing in Paris who has received a lot of public appreciation for her appearance, alongside Ceccon. The stunning 17-year-old, who was born in 2007 in Cardiff, Great Britain, has become well-known in the field of artistic gymnastics.
She has competed as a member of the national women’s team in the all-around, vault, uneven bars, balancing beam, and floor exercise events thus far at the Paris Games.
Evans said to a news outlet, “We couldn’t have done any more as a team. Uh, obviously we thought we had it but we didn’t. But yeah […] as long as we’re walking away knowing that we couldn’t have done any more then I think that’s all we can do.” Evans and her fellow GB team members finished fourth in the women’s gymnastics team final.
Many people complimented the blue-eyed beauty online after watching her display her gymnastic prowess at the Olympics. “We might not have the best gymnast but we certainly have the prettiest in Ruby Evans,” a supporter said.
Someone more commented, “Ruby Evans is literally so STUNNINGGGGGGG it’s unfair,” and, “I think Team GB [gymnast] Ruby Evans will be on the front cover of Vogue magazine before Christmas.”
We have now concluded our digest with the final tale involving Ceccon and Evans. It’s very evident from what was said that the first week of the Paris Olympics got off to a great start. A juicy scoop about next week will be coming your way shortly, so stay tuned!
