Not sure you understand the meaning of the word “ironic.” Nowhere did I say or suggest that winning a bronze or silver was losing or wasn’t a great achievement.
This article indicates that there is no physical injury:
Getting the silver or bronze medals is a great achievement, but IMO, it is losing. There’s only one winner in these competitions. And that’s OK. Losing is just part of life.
Assuming Simone Biles is having a difficult time with her mental health, that’s a little surprising to me after all these years in competition(s). Maybe she is now feeling the weight of EVERYTHING on her.
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Highlight of the Olympics thus far is the high school kid from Seward, Alaska - population 2,773 - shocking the world. Turn up the volume.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1419855163251118080
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Lydia’s reaction to seeing that she had won was great. Reaction of her friends back home was even better.
Interesting that the friends appeared to be wearing masks. Not so at the watch parties in Orlando (which is a Covid hotspot of its own right now).
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It’s not really surprising at all, actually. She is back at the Olympics with the weight of the whole team- hell, the whole organization- on her shoulders. An organization that allowed her to be abused and who abused her. The last time she was at the Olympics she was sexually abused. I can see how the whole thing came to a head quite easily. She’s been in physical pain probably non-stop for years. I’m sure she is now as well, but she isn’t one to let that stop her. I was so proud that she knew she had to step back for her own safety AND for the betterment of the team. There is a vacuum of leadership in USAG and no one but her could’ve make that hard choice.
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Well said! I wanted to mention that she is a sexual abuse survivor and I can’t even to begin to imagine the trauma that causes. It’s really sick how that sort of thing was allowed to go on for as long as it did. The fact that it happened in the first place is horrible! I hope things at USAG change for the better.
She gave up her US citizenship to compete for Japan. I think that’s too big of a price to pay
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Wow, I don’t follow tennis, but that’s amazing to hear.
Sounds reasonable to me if she enjoys Japan at least as equally as the US.
I don’t think of Japan as a bad place to live, though it’s not for me - esp since I don’t speak or read the language.
Kids who are dual citizens often have to choose when they are adults. They pick what they prefer for whatever reason.
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There’s also that pesky issue of taxes. Have no idea of Japan’s taxes but US citizens need to pay taxes on their income regardless of where they live and have homes.
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Residents of Japan (but not non-residents) pay tax on worldwide income.
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It’s just hard for me to think of someone giving up US citizenship. My daughter is naturalized, as was Naomi, and I worked pretty hard for her to become a citizen. She might play for her country of origin next year, but doesn’t have to give up her US citizenship.
It’s too bad Japan made her make a choice.
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Good grief. None of the tennis commentators said that Osaka gave up her US citizenship to play for Japan in the Olympics. Why not play for the US? If she lives in California (which I think she does, Bel Air, I think) are there tax benefits to having Japanese citizenship ie not a resident of Japan?
Only after five years. Also, Japanese nationals do not pay Japanese taxes while living outside Japan. Only the US taxes its citizens everywhere we go. Although I don’t think taxes had anything to do with Naomi Osaka’s decision to renounce her US citizenship. Ordinarily the rule about deciding on one nationality when you turn 23 is not strictly enforced, but in this case, she wouldn’t have been able to ignore it. At the moment, she is being abused by a bunch of idiots on Japanese social media who are questioning whether she is “really” Japanese. It’s really a shame.
Yes. Taxation on worldwide income only applies to residents of Japan, not to Japanese citizens living abroad.
Correct. I deliberately refrained from writing a dissertation on Japanese tax code 
Correct, though I believe it’s 22. My dual-national fiance has yet to renounce his Japanese citizenship, although he likely will at some point.
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Pretty cool for the Japanese swimmer to be able to pull ahead and win the silver in the 200 fly - swimming in lane 8. 
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I’m looking forward to fencing, archery, and canoeing/kayaking tonight - staying up until 4ish to watch live since I prefer that to merely seeing summaries. H will be streaming sailing again (if that didn’t get changed due to the storm - I haven’t checked).
It’s a good thing I don’t have work tomorrow - other than critter chores!
I was thinking about this some more and just wanted to make the point that if she lives in the US, she will have to pay US taxes even if she is no longer a citizen. If she lives in Japan, she will have to pay Japanese taxes, which are higher across the board. Basically, no one would ever elect Japanese citizenship for tax reasons.
Maybe she just prefers Japan. Honestly, that’s ok. It’s her life and her choice. It has no bearing on her as a person or an athlete. I see no reason for anyone to change their opinion about her because of something like that.
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