Simone Biles was one of the brightest stars of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. As part of the “Final Five,” Biles brought home an impressive four medals for her performance; gold medals in the team competition, individual all-around, vault and floor exercise, while claiming a bronze on the balance beam.
Biles’ performance in Rio was remarkable, but she was unfortunately one of many United States star athletes — including Venus and Serena Williams — to have medical records hacked and leaked on Tuesday.
Those medical records showed Biles received a therapeutic use exemption from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to use a banned substance.
Of course, the headlines and conversation immediately began twisting the story, glancing over the truth.
The truth of the matter is that there is nothing to see here.
The Williams sisters received exemptions for Oxycodone, Prednisone and Hydromorphone, all substances that are allowed out of competition. Again, a non-issue. For Biles, the exemption was for Methylphenidate.
While Methylphenidate sounds intimidating, in layman’s terms, it is Ritalin.
So yes, people out there were making a big deal over a star athlete taking ADHD medication. Biles responded to the news on social media to set the record straight.
“I have ADHD and I have taken medicine for it since I was a kid,” Biles said in a statement. “Please know, I believe in a clean sport, have always followed the rules, and will continue to do so as fair play is critical to sport and is very important to me.”
She added:
Having ADHD, and taking medicine for it is nothing to be ashamed of nothing that I'm afraid to let people know.
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) September 13, 2016
You tell ’em, Simone.
It’s a shame that a group of people attempted to discredit the athletic achievements of Biles and many others, but it’s nice to know that a majority of people seem to understand the leaked records show nothing that raise an eyebrow.
Can’t get enough of Campus Sports? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with the latest news and exclusive giveaways!
Photo Credit: Simone Biles, Instagram
