CW: Ableism & Bullying
After 12 days of competition in Paris, hundreds of athletes from the United States gathered for the Paralympic Closing Ceremonies on September 8. Many of the country’s finest athletes arrived at the Stade de France together, donning ponchos in the rain, to celebrate their 105 medals, the third most of any country.
However, some prominent athletes were absent. Four US swimmers, were prevented from participating hours earlier as part of fines issued by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. One swimmer who couldn’t participate was Jessica Long, one of the most decorated Paralympians of all time.
The penalties against Long, who won two gold medals in Paris, and three other athletes — gold medalist Gia Pergolini, bronze medalist Julia Gaffney, and Anastasia Pagonis — stem from social media posts that appeared to question a U.S. teammate’s disability during the swimming competition in Paris and violated USOPC (United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee) rules, according to three people familiar with the situation.
“We can confirm that sanctions have been imposed on several athletes due to unacceptable behavior,” a USOPC spokesperson wrote in a statement to the Washington Post. “It is important to uphold the standards expected of Team USA athletes, and we remain committed to addressing any actions that undermine our values.”
The swimmer’s trip abruptly ended. Additional penalties, which are still being appealed, would include suspensions barring the athletes from competing for the national team until next spring, withholding stipends, and prohibiting them from participating in Team USA’s celebratory trip to Washington, D.C. this year.
All four swimmers made or responded to internet comments concerning Christiana Raleigh Crossley’s categorization. Subsequently, Raleigh Crossley was forced to defend the severity of their disabilities and their impacts. Crossley sustained her disabilities following two car accidents, and a brain hemorrhage.
Long, who has previously spoken out against cheating in Paralympic swimming, targeted her teammate in the comments section of an Instagram post. The post commemorated Raleigh Crossley’s world record-breaking 50-meter freestyle swim on August 29.
Sarai Gascon Moreno, a Spanish swimmer, commented: “S9? It’s a joke?” to which Long replied, “I stand with you.” Julia Gaffney went after Raleigh Crossley in a separate post, writing “Not a positive impact. Intentional misrepresentation is never cute.”
Raleigh Crossley, a 37-year-old swimmer, competing in their first Paralympics, won two gold medals and five overall. Crossley is classified as being in the S9 category for swimming. According to the International Paralympic Committee the S9 category includes “swimmers with weakness, limb loss or co-ordination difficulties in one arm or leg only”. Swimmers use regular starts, strokes and turns, but have some difficulties in applying even power to the water.”
“I went from enjoying a world record to being utterly devastated that the entire world seems to think I was a cheater and that I was somehow faking the hole in my brain and the cyst in my spinal cord,” Raleigh Crossley said. “To be told online by all of these bullies that I am not somehow disabled as I appear, just because I can swim faster than them, it’s pretty devastating.”
Sadly, Long doubled down on her stance. “For me, I’ve seen the Paralympic movement for so long. I think we have intentional misrepresentation [rules] for a reason. And I think we are not using it. I think we really should, right?” Long said. “I want to see Paralympics with integrity. I want to see it better. “And that’s what I will always stand for.” Long said.
Christiana Raleigh Crossley is not alone. People face accusations of faking their disabilities and illnesses often, especially online. On TikTok and Reddit, there are entire communities devoted to so-called illness fakers. We must do better. Disability is not one-size-fits all.
Sources:
Carter, Aaron. “Paralympic Swimmer Christie Raleigh Crossley Sets Record, Wins Silver, and Endures ‘Bullies.’” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Interstate General Media, LLC, 30 Aug. 2024, http://www.inquirer.com/sports/paralympics-paris-2024-christie-raleigh-crossley-swimming-controversy-20240830.html.
Denkinson, Katherine. “‘Sickfluencers’: Why Are People Faking Illnesses on TikTok?” VICE, Vice Media Group LLC , 16 May 2023, http://www.vice.com/en/article/tiktok-sickness-ehlers-danlos-syndrome-munchausens/.
Leland, John, et al. “The Trials of a Paralympian Whose Disability Doesn’t Always Show.” The New York Times, The New York Times Company , 22 Aug. 2024, http://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/22/nyregion/paralympics-swimmer-christie-raleigh-crossley.html.
Stubbs, Roman, and Rick Maese . “Four U.S. Paralympians Disciplined for Online Comments about Teammate.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 17 Sept. 2024, http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2024/09/17/jessica-long-paralympics-usopc-suspenions-online-comments/.
Stubbs, Roman, and Matt Higgins. “As Paralympics Get Bigger, Some Athletes Say Cheating Is More Prevalent.” The Washington Post, The WP Company, 28 Aug. 2024, http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2024/08/28/paralympics-cheating-classification-doping-disabilities/.
Vanlandewijck, Yves C., and Walter R. Thompson. Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science: The Paralympic Athlete. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2011.
“World Para Swimming Classification & Categories – SB9, SM8.” International Paralympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, Aug. 2022, http://www.paralympic.org/swimming/classification.