Marlon Humphrey deservedly got ripped for calling Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowing to Rebeca Andrade 'disgusting'

This is a bad take.

It was the image that perhaps will be the most memorable one from the 2024 Paris Olympics: Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowed down to Rebeca Andrade after the Brazilian gymnast won gold in the women’s floor final, and there were meaningful reasons for the classy move.

As Biles noted, it was “an all-Black podium,” and Chiles added that Andrade was “an icon, a legend herself.”

This is what the Olympic spirit is all about, right? Bringing together the world through sport, even if there are times when it divides us.

But Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey didn’t think of that when he posted this on X (formerly Twitter):

This is literally disgusting https://t.co/zKdrsOLnwd

— marlonhumphrey.eth (@marlon_humphrey) August 5, 2024

That was followed by this:

I’m lowkey getting cooked right now. I think I’m getting cussed out in Brazilian on Instagram lol

— marlonhumphrey.eth (@marlon_humphrey) August 6, 2024

Uh, that would be Portuguese, for the record.

But let’s go back to that initial comment. It absolutely was NOT disgusting. It was sportsmanship at its finest, proof that it’s not all about wins and losses (don’t get me started on how we talk about “losing gold” and not “winning silver”) and more about athletes respecting what they can do.

In the heat of battle? It’s fine to concentrate and mean mug and get yourself in that mindset before a race or a competition. But when the podium comes? We’ve seen athletes invite their competitors or teammates up with them. This was that, times 10.

It should be celebrated, not criticized.