Gabby Douglas draws fire for racism claim
Note: Commenting is now closed
Has Gabby Douglas gone from America’s sweetheart to America’s lightning rod?
The Olympic gold medalist is under fire after she said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that she was the victim of racism at the gym where she trained in Virginia Beach.
She told Winfrey about one incident in which a teammate at Excalibur Gymnastics told her to do something because she was their slave.
“I definitely felt isolated,” Douglas said in the interview. “I felt, ‘Why do I deserve this? Is it because I’m black?’ ”
Her former coach and others associated with Excalibur blasted the claim.
“Really, I was shocked and very hurt,” former coach Dena Walker told NewsChannel 3 in Hampton Roads.
Gustavo Moure, CEO of Excalibur, went even further, suggesting that Douglas was lying.
“I wish to defend the children that trained with her and supported her when she attacks them with these allegations,” he told E! News. “Is Gabrielle a credible person just because she is an Olympic champion? She is not giving any names or dates, leading us to believe that the accusation is fake.”
“Gabby’s remarks were hurtful and without merit,” he told GymNewstics.com. “We’ve had more African-Americans in elite and on the national team than any other gym in the country.”
Former teammates also blasted her.
“This is absolutely ridiculous,” Randy Stageburg, a former National Team member, told GymNewstics.com. “Gabby was never a victim, in fact many would say she was one of the favorites. I am not saying that she never felt bullied because when you are in a sport with a bunch of girls it is bound to happen. However, anything that she may have felt was never about race and I can assure you everyone at some point has felt bullied.
“I watched Dena open her home to Gabby, feeding her, taking her to gym, and allowing her to stay over her house whenever Gabby wanted to,” he said.
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306 comments Add your comment
JD
August 29th, 2012
10:25 am
Who has the right to tell this kid how she felt?The South is still a racist place,I should know I’m in my 40’s and lived in the South all my life.Rednecks are STILL everywhere.
Ok
August 29th, 2012
10:26 am
Oh my gosh…somebody doesn’t like me…They must be racist.
JD
August 29th, 2012
10:28 am
Rednecks aren’t just a bunch a country hicks either,some of them are lawyers,Judges,Doctors,Gymnastic instructors,football and basketball coaches,and in every other profession that exist.
Topp Dogg
August 29th, 2012
10:28 am
Was it not Oprah who said ” People of Color should Vote for People of Color”? Gabby you have a great example to follow in Oprah.
Kramer
August 29th, 2012
10:29 am
Sounds like Gabby is now being managed by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Next stop, the White House for a photo shoot and a pat on the back from the chief race mongor himself, our President.
Commonscents
August 29th, 2012
10:30 am
Yep, Gabby’s wrong because no one would ever say this to a African-American. She must not have heard that Racism no longer exists today. If she spoke out on what she felt was racist, then she is the real racist.
sigh….sarcasm
To Tell the Truth
August 29th, 2012
10:31 am
TYPICAL!
Dee
August 29th, 2012
10:32 am
@ Ok
So you’re saying that everyone judges people about the “content of their character”? I’ll call BS on that. People judge other’s by looks first. Character concerns come second. I’m sure Gabby was and did feel ostracized by the other girls due to her race.
Kramer
August 29th, 2012
10:32 am
Hey JD, read up on Boston and forced bussing. I have lived in the northeast. There are more racist in Baltimore then there are in the entire south. And I mean on both sides of color. Please!
Sandee
August 29th, 2012
10:32 am
I am on the fence about the veracity of the latest allegations put forth by Gabby. I started questioning her ability to tell the truth after she threw her own father under the bus, alleging that he abandoned the family, while knowing full well that he served three consecutive military deployments. So anyone that lies on their own father is capable of telling lies about anything if they feel it will further their interest.
Not saying that her latest allegations are lies…I am just on the fence and have no faith in her ability to tell the truth.
Pat
August 29th, 2012
10:34 am
When you are a minority these things happen to you. She already has all the attention, so does not nee to tell a lie to get attention. Regardless of what happened, racism exists and will continue to exist. It would be impossible to eliminate it, but defending racism can be stopped.
Just Saying
August 29th, 2012
10:35 am
To Samantha — WOW!!! What a racist remark YOU just made!!!! You just insulted the hair of an entire race WITHOUT any justification whatsoever … aside from pure hatred, of course !!! Honestly, in this day and age, I think African Americans are much more racist than whites!!! So, I don’t know why so many white people try so darn hard to bend backwards and forwards to accomodate and be nice to people that are filled with such hatred that sadly will NEVER change.
Annie
August 29th, 2012
10:35 am
dmr, what does two reporters getting beaten have to do with this story? That makes no sense. Bullying is wrong, racism is wrong, beating people up for no reason is wrong. It’s not a game of trying to one up anyone. Why in the world are you bringing Sharpton and Jackson into the discussion, they aren’t even mentioned in the story.
It’s also extremely ignorant to make comments about what happened if you weren’t actually there.
Boo, when did Gabby say that all white people are racists? Maybe you should stop being so defensive, and start using critical thinking skills to understand what she said. You and everyone else who is upset by what she said should really stop and think about why are you so angry. The same goes for the person who wrote this article, and feels like Gabby’s experiences should make her a target.
Vee
August 29th, 2012
10:38 am
Let me get this straight. Because Gabby didn’t tell anyone about her experience while she trained at that gym, it didn’t happen? So, are we not to believe all those little white boys who said that they were molested by priests and Sandusky because they didn’t tell while it was going on? Wow.
It saddens me that people want to either discount or pretend that racism no longer exists. It exists more subliminally than during the slavery to Civil Rights eras. As for Gabby, she was asked about her experience, and she answered the questions. As a child, I, too, was bullied–by my own people (no “race card” here)–and I didn’t tell about it until I became an adult. As she probably did, I put on a front, like the teasing didn’t bother me; but it did. (Ironically, when I told one of my tormentors of how his words had hurt me when we were children, he said that he treated me that way because he liked me.)
Many who are bullied don’t tell for several reasons. They fear retaliation, rejection, and, as evidenced in this case, disbelief. What if Gabby had told Excaliber about her experiences? There would’ve been a fifty-fifty chance that they would have or would have not believed her. Based on their responses to her comments, it is safe to believe that her claims would not have been believed.
To the “fan(s)” that Gabby has lost due to telling her story, you were not a true fan(s) anyway. You just wanted her to smile and keep her mouth shut about what happens in the real world. She is a human being who has the right to express herself. It is so unfortunate that this child has faced so much foolishness, despite her achievements–from her own people (the hair stupidity) and those that are ignorant to racism–white and black.
Topp Dogg
August 29th, 2012
10:41 am
Only Whites can be racist, just look at Black on Black crime satistics.
Love
August 29th, 2012
10:43 am
Why are ya’ll acting like you didn’t know this child exprienced racism in a predominantly white sport, in a predominantly white country. Of course she did, that is a no brainer. What’s the big deal? This country is full of people with prejudices and was built on it. She survived, she is ok, and she is a hero. I ask you this, what black person in America has not experienced racism? At any rate, white people, stop talking about pulling the race card, when you all have had the entire deck for over 400 years…..Racism still exists and it looks like it isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.
Yep
August 29th, 2012
10:44 am
I heard through the grapevine that Gabby left her gym in Norfolk to train in IOWA to get to the next level. What is not out in the public eye is the fact that Excalibur actually let her train on CREDIT (without paying)since they saw the ability in her to acheive her greatness. Gabby left this gym without one word of notice and moved to IOWA to train while stepping out on about 21k worth of payments due to the gym. I think this is a tactic to get Excalibur to forget about what she owes and discredit the gym at the same time.
Annie
August 29th, 2012
10:44 am
Sandee, don’t talk about other people’s experiences as if you were there. Her father did abandon his family, and he joined the military. Joining the military doesn’t excuse what he did before he enlisted, nor does it change the fact that he cut off contact with his daughters, and just suddenly popped back up at the Olympic Trials. Gabby not hiding the details of what happened isn’t an example of throwing her father under the bus, it’s about someone being honest about her life. Why should she lie to protect him, or the people at her old gym who mistreated her?
Bluto
August 29th, 2012
10:45 am
“Rednecks aren’t just a bunch a country hicks either,some of them are lawyers,Judges,Doctors,Gymnastic instructors,football and basketball coaches,and in every other profession that exist.”
So now all redneck’s are racist? Way to stereotype and oppress people Jackhole. I will make sure to remember that when I wear my camo shorts to the mall. Simpleminded people are what makes America so hard to live in.
m
August 29th, 2012
10:47 am
She must have talked to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton before she went on the show. Oprah hasn’t been right since Michelle Obama kicked her
out of the Intercircle. Another racist spoiled brat.
G Mo
August 29th, 2012
10:49 am
Gabby said the comment came from a team member in the interview.. Even one of her team members acknowledged that bullying goes on so why would it be far fetched to believe the comment was made. She says how she felt when she heard the comment. Unless you are in her shoes, how can anyone attest to how she felt.
Bluto
August 29th, 2012
10:49 am
Love looks like you have a built in excuse every time you fail. Must be nice.
Love
August 29th, 2012
10:51 am
I just really hate when people in America catch amnesia about killing and pillaging the Native Americans, enslaving and raping the African continent and its people, and the fall out since then, give me a break….
KC DAWG
August 29th, 2012
10:52 am
Thanks to Obama and the White Socialist Liberal in America. If you are black and not a socialist, then you are nothing to their eyes and causes. Since they saw her succeed in a sport dominated by whites and the government didn’t help her, they are now pissed off at her. So now she has to come up with a street cred to fit in among them. What a sad day in America.
Frankie
August 29th, 2012
10:52 am
I guess according to the coaches own statement that being BULLIED was OKAY….to be bullied and to be black may be the reason why she is wquestioning if she was singled out…..
phyllis murray
August 29th, 2012
10:53 am
While the battle for civil rights was brewing in the southern states of America in the 50’s, a concurrent battle was festering in Mount Vernon,NY. Although the schools were integrated, there were still troubling events which took place overtly. For me, I came face to face with racism first in the Dance Club in the gymnasium after school. And later at a student debate off campus. The Gym teacher suggested that I create lesson plans for the following year. She would give me an opportunity to teach after school the following year. And that is what happened. I came in as the dance instructor; the other student instructors left. This was 1955. The Gym teacher took one step to end discrimination in the school which I feel was an important step for me. And certainly many teachers have had to right civil wrongs when prejudice reared its ugly head in northern schools. Prejudice is prejudging a person. Fear seemingly the motivating factor. The second incident took place during a debate off campus. I sat in for a member who was unable to attend. The topic dealt with integration in Mount Vernon. One girl mentioned that she would not purchase anything from Fourth Avenue ,if African American sales persons were hired. Another mentioned that whites would move away if African Americans moved into her neighborhood. These statements were shocking. The blatant resentment of persons of color from a group whose ancestors had known prejudice, intolerance, and incapable trials was unfathonable. If the 50s were troubling, the 60s were turbulent. And even today the content of one’s character, innate ability and merit are ignored as institutionalize racism makes it possible to look only at a person’s skin color, hair texture, and facial features. Gabby’s triumph over adversity is one small step in the right direction. Keep on stepping, Gabby Douglas. Enter your comments here
Carz
August 29th, 2012
10:53 am
Boycott the companies that use her for endorsements. She’s lying to make a better story and it will backfire. I was a fan. not anymore.
Vivian Bell
August 29th, 2012
10:53 am
I don’t believe anything that has a hint of Oprah’s voice in it! She is such a phony!
*sigh*
August 29th, 2012
10:55 am
From the Wall Street Journal: “GOP Convention Attendees Ejected For Throwing Nuts At Black CNN Employee”
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/08/29/gop-convention-attendees-ejected-for-throwing-nuts-at-black-cnn-employee/?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines
Call It Like It Is
August 29th, 2012
10:56 am
People you do realize there is a difference between being bully and something being racist, right? Just because you’re being bullied doesn’t means it being done due to color. Also hate to break your heart you don’t have a lock on the only nationality to have been slaves yet you’re the only one that wields it as a sword when things don’t quite go your way. Japanese used Chinese slave labor, Irish were used as slaves, Greeks, Russians, Jews and on and on. Let’s don’t forget that every country Rome conquered, those individuals were either turned into slaves or forced to fight. If anyone deserves a pity party it would be the American Indians, whose land was taken away from them. And yes blacks had a hand in it, anyone here heard of Buffalo soldiers? In any count this is a little girl who is trying to make sure her 15 min of fame go just a little longer. In another month everybody will be going Gabby who?
Tee
August 29th, 2012
10:59 am
The main people that want to sweep racism under the rug are the bigots themselves. They seem to get offended at the mention of “race”. Get over yourselves…..its not 1950!!
Okra is fried
August 29th, 2012
10:59 am
I guess the fatazz Oprah is desperate for ratings. A failing network that is losing millions of dollars makes her resort to “Springer” journalism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elizabeth
August 29th, 2012
11:00 am
I am pretty sure this Randy knew of or was a part of the group that alledgedly bullied her during her time there at Excalibur. Love how he/she stated that Gabby ‘was not a victim but one of the favorites.’ And in any case, if you weren’t a part of it, how would you if she was bullied or not while she was there. Shame on this gym for implying that she may have been lying. She could have very well had a single or group of people saying snide remarks to her. Gabby wasn’t accusing the gymnasium, she was just telling a situation that OPRAH practically pushed her to discuss. And shame on the news for blowing it up like this. This is making something so positive in this girl’s life, turn very negative and cold.
Dee
August 29th, 2012
11:01 am
Oh please…. Racism is very much alive and well!!!! No one is crying wolf about the ugly American secret. YOU KNOW IT, SO GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE!!!! You always try to find a reason to believe that people are created without prejudice. BULL!!!!
Carz
August 29th, 2012
11:03 am
She’s a little Tawana Brawley.
Sash
August 29th, 2012
11:04 am
Only whites get upset when black people call out racism which is alive and thriving. But every day I read racist comments about the President and his wife. Comments referring to her as a gorilla, calling her Moochelle! I guess calling a black person a gorilla isn’t racist? (sarcasm) Where are the comments denouncing this name calling which is what Gabrielle was referring to?
I’m still a fan of Gabrielle!
JESSIE JACKSON
August 29th, 2012
11:05 am
BIG SHOCKER! ANOTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN SCREAMING RACISM.
Dee
August 29th, 2012
11:05 am
She stated that it was racist to her and it was!!!! How offensive that your head is so clouded. As far as “Rush Limbaugh” Racism was created from the small minded pea brains such as yourself!!!!
Irace
August 29th, 2012
11:06 am
oprah—playing the race card again with a celebrity to get ratings??? surely, you can’t be serious?
kenneth rasheed
August 29th, 2012
11:07 am
Yes, racism and racists still exist. Ignoring it will not make it disappear. Just because Gabby excels at her sport it does not mean that she has not been a victim of ignorance. Yes, the society is different from when I grew up. I am in my late 50s. It should be noted that every one in my family has experienced some form of racist slur or ignorant behavior by ignorant white people, within the recent past. Not all of whom have been poor whites from rural areas. These problems will never cease until the white community overcomes its false sense of superiority.
Sash
August 29th, 2012
11:07 am
“She’s a little Tawana Brawley.” Carz, you are a little Lester Maddox with a lot of ignorance added!
Carz
August 29th, 2012
11:08 am
White people are not as big of a threat to blacks as blacks are to blacks. Keep your eye on the ball and focus your outrage in the right direction.
QuestionerInChief
August 29th, 2012
11:08 am
I am always amazed at how people get so offended when someone broaches the rather uncomfortable topic that is RACISM. One thing I have learned over the years is that too many people have it all wrong. They expect that when a person reaches a high level of success and fame that they should just shut up and be happy that the “good folk” allowed them to get through, as if it was some sort of “handout” that they should be thankful for given the fact that they are after all, a “minority”.
This is a 16 year old girl who simply recounts her personal experience coming up in a sport where typically there was no one else who shared in her cultural experience. The Williams sisters spoke of similar difficulties. Are they “lying” too? Why does she need to lie??? She is smart enough to realize though that she has a PLATFORM on which to stand and tell the truth about how this endeavor has not been an easy road for her and some of the things she experienced. I can speak to the same things, as I have experienced and many who venture down “out-of-the-norm” paths especially people of color, have. Like someone suggested, no coach is around at all times, obviously as a child in the situation she might feel intimidated to speak up. Many of the reactions here clearly demonstrate why. Face it, racism is and always will be, especially as long as we continue to remain in denail or indignant outrage mode about it.
Carz
August 29th, 2012
11:10 am
This has a Duke Lacrosse feel to me.
SA
August 29th, 2012
11:14 am
@Lex–”whites reminded of their nature”???? I am not a white person who denies racism exists but give me a break—who is the racist here?
Vee
August 29th, 2012
11:14 am
To those that seem to have a problem with Oprah, um, did y’all have a problem when she was giving away cars and other loot to her predominately white audiences?
On a serious note, why is it so hard for people to believe that racism still exists? Ignoring it or pretending that it does not exist will NOT make it go away.
Carz
August 29th, 2012
11:19 am
A girl with world class talent that gets world class training just does not sell in America like a girl that overcomes adversity. The gym was too swift and politically incorrect in it’s response not to believe them. Gabby’s lying. It’s sad because she’s really cute and had that “it factor” that could have lasted decades like Marylou. Now she’ll have to settle for selling a few books about overcoming racism. She needed a better PR person.
Can't Get Right
August 29th, 2012
11:21 am
The sad part is that many of you IGNORANT white people can’t see past the sorry nose on your face. I’m not calling all white people ignorant just the ignorant group. You puds that are calling this a race card pulling or think she need some sort of racial attention will find racism in a bowl of oranges. Go get a life or MOVE AGAIN!
Vee
August 29th, 2012
11:23 am
So, now, it’s her teeth, juan carlos…? Wow. You, Carz, and others like you, who feel the need to berate a child who answered what she was asked, will be in my prayers.
TNT65
August 29th, 2012
11:24 am
As a white male who is often mistaken for a right winger because of my age and looks, I know you white people who jumped on this story are only voicing what you normall say amongst yourselves.
This great athlete is of African American descent and he skin is darker than yours so you and others can easily identify her heritage, and you say and do things based on your bigotry.
Making this comment an occasion to criticize Gabby is ludicrous. She related one instance (How many times do you think she has experienced racism….thousands?) and you say SHE is racist.
It may work in you warped mind, but it is without logic, truth or compassion.