Jewish gymnast Aly Raisman confirms she will not compete in 2020 Olympics
Olympic gold medalist and two-time American Olympic gymnastics team captain Aly Raisman confirmed that she will not compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 25-year-old Raisman, a proud Jew who won two gold medals in the 2012 London Olympics and was a member of the gold medal-winning American team in the 2016 Rio Olympics, made the announcement last week in a letter posted to social media.
At the 2012 London Games, Raisman performed to the tune of “Hava Nagila” and dedicated her floor routine to the 11 Israeli Olympians who were killed by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Raisman was given the honor of igniting the 2013 Maccabiah Games flame in Jerusalem.
Last week, she also posted a video of herself as a young gymnast titled “Never underestimate the power of a kid’s dream” and mused in the letter about what she would tell her 8-year-old self.
“The power of dreams is too big to put into words, but I’d try anyway since it is what makes magic happen, It’s also what will get her through the tough times,” wrote Raisman, who won three other medals in 2016, including a silver for all-around.
“As a little girl I thought what mattered most was making it to the Olympics, but I’ve learned that my love for gymnastics is more important,” Raisman wrote. She said that her love for the sport “inspires me to do everything I can to make it safer for the many wonderful people in the sport and all the little 8-year-olds out there who will be watching the gymnasts in Tokyo dreaming of one day making it to the Olympics themselves.”
Raisman seemed to be referencing her work to bring her abusive former coach, Larry Nassar, to justice and to her powerful statement in court during his sentencing hearing. Nassar plead guilty to seven counts of sexual assault of minors, though he is accused of assaulting at least 250 young women over 25 years.
Raisman did not indicate what she plans to do next. (JTA)