First Olympic Week in 3 Minutes: Celine Dion Got $0 for Performance, Simone Biles’ Injury Called ‘Staged,’ & More

Why Did Celine Dion Receive Nothing for Her Performance in Paris?

Celine Dion, one of the most iconic voices in the music industry, made a stunning return to the stage at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony in Paris.

The event was not only a milestone in Dion’s career but also a testament to her resilience following her battle with Stiff-Person Syndrome. Here’s everything you need to know about the performance, which was highly anticipated.

On Friday, July 26, Dion performed at the Olympics’ opening ceremony, marking her first performance since her health diagnosis two years ago. According to TMZ, she shared the stage with Lady Gaga, both performing Édith Piaf’s beloved classic “La Vie en Rose.”

Gaga, no stranger to the song, famously sang it in her 2018 movie “A Star Is Born.” According to sources, Dion donned a Dior ensemble featuring a pink and black feather cape, adding a touch of glamor to the event.

Initially, TMZ reported that Dion would be earning a staggering $2 million for her performance, with all travel expenses, including jets and boats, covered by the Olympics. However, this claim was later contradicted by a spokesperson for the Paris 2024 Games.

Page Six clarified that performers at the Games would not receive a fee for their performance. Instead, the organization covered technical production costs and other performance-related expenses. This decision highlighted the performers’ commitment to being part of a historic event, rather than performing for financial gain.

Dion’s performance was particularly significant given her recent health challenges. The beloved star suffers from a condition known as Stiff-Person Syndrome or SPS.

Stiff-Person Syndrome is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that causes painful and progressive muscular rigidity and stiffness. It is progressive and can severely impact mobility and quality of life.

Dr. Pavan Tankha, an SPS specialist with the Cleveland Clinic, expressed cautious optimism about Dion’s return to performing. While her comeback is encouraging, it is fraught with risks. Factors such as loud noise, stress, and temperature can trigger SPS symptoms, making large venue performances potentially hazardous.

To mitigate these risks, relaxation techniques and strict environmental controls were essential. Moreover, Dion needed immediate access to medical treatments off-stage to manage any sudden spasms, which can last from a few seconds to several hours.

The news of Dion’s performance elicited a wide range of reactions from fans, reflecting a combination of support and criticism. One user wrote, “No need for money. Perform because you love it,” while another commented, “She should do it [for] free.”

Some expressed gratitude for the clarification about her payment, saying, “Thank you finally the truth [sic].” Supporters were also rooting for her health, with one user stating, “Well good for her. I hope she gets through it with no ill effects. She been through a lot with her illness [sic].”

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What Happened with Simone Biles at the Opening Ceremony, Her Leg, and Her Hair?

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has gone viral for a few reasons. From missing the opening ceremony to having a leg issue, find out why the 27-year-old is the name on everybody’s lips.

On July 26, hoards of athletes rode boats along Paris’ River Seine during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, Simone, along with some of the other members of the U.S.A. gymnasts team, was noticeably absent from the groups for a specific reason, which her doting mom, Nellie Biles, explained.

Speaking to “Today’s” Hoda Kotb, Nellie disclosed, “The first competition is Sunday, which is women’s qualifier, and, of course, she needs to rest up before that competition.”

When it came time for the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Qualification on day 2 of the Olympics, July 28, Simone faced adversity amid the competition. Footage taken at the event showed the young athlete sitting on the sidelines with the U.S.A. Gymnastics team doctor Marcia Faustin.

The two ladies disappeared for a brief moment after which Simone returned with medical tape wrapped around her left leg. According to a news outlet, the gymnast had to get her leg taped due to tweaking her calf during her floor exercise warmup.

While the news outlet also reports that Simone was seen walking around the venue with a limp, she did not let it show once she got onto the competition floor.

Her grit and determination to continue despite being hurt juxtapose what happened three years ago at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics when she removed herself from final competitions to protect her well-being. This then prompted a wide-scale public discussion on mental health.

Upon hearing that Simone had suffered an injury during one of her warmups, many took to online platforms to assert their opinions, with most criticizing her. “Smart. This time, if she wants to quit, she can blame injury instead of nerves,” wrote an X user.

Another social media user remarked, “The Drama Queen. Pretends to get hurt and then wins in order to get all the attention and steal the spotlight.” Similarly, someone else echoed, “Staged.”

“It’s always something with her, she’s not injured she just wants attention,” asserted an observer. Another person expressed, “Simone Biles hurt her leg today and is still leading in the standing. These people can’t do nothing with her.”

However, amid the flak, was a comment showing support for Simone, especially where her endurance and tenacity were concerned.

Alongside a gif from the Oscars which showed Hollywood stars giving a standing ovation in reaction to something with the words “BRAVO!!!!” attached to the image, an admirer praised Simone.

They commended, “Me in my living room at 3AM watching Simone Biles smash her floor routine on a taped up leg. #OlympicGames.”

Besides her leg injury, people have been buzzing about the fact that Simone, tweaked calf and all, not only managed to participate in her competition but also achieved an incredible milestone.

Video footage shared online shows Simone executing what is considered the “hardest vault in the world.” She hit a Yurchenko double pike, making her the first woman to do so at the Olympics. However, people still expressed concern for the gymnast upon seeing her perform with a wounded calf.

“Oh no I hope she’s not injured because she’s limping a little,” commented an observer who saw the footage on YouTube. Another pointed out, “She hurt her foot or ankle… someone needs to ask her about it.”

Others focused their attention on how Simone’s hair looked. “She’s awesome 👏 but can someone fix her hair for her please?!” said an Instagram user. An X user jumped in with, “@Simone_Biles can we get a hair braid or something,” ending their message with an I-can’t-look face emoji.

One social media user who felt particularly strongly about Simone’s hair, stated, “#SimoneBiles should have had an #FBA Beautician Do Her Hair In A Ballerina Style Updo/Bun, Or A Sleek Ponytail Before She Left For The #OlympicGames […] #Olympics […] #ParisOlympics #Paris #ParisOlympics2024 #Olympic2024.”

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Why Couldn’t Jade Carey Eat before the Competition?

Superstar gymnast Jade Carey, 24, went through a rough time at the Paris Olympics. The Team USA gymnast recently shared candid statements concerning her health and how it’s affected her during the gymnastics competitions. A widely shared video of one of her performances circulated, which then prompted concern for her.

This year’s Olympic Games look very different for the 24-year-old from when she scored a gold medal in the floor exercise competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games three years ago.

Speaking exclusively to Olympics.com after the opening day of the women’s competition on July 28, Carey explained, “I just have not been feeling well the past few days and haven’t been able to eat or anything.”

Carey, who reportedly had been the only team member from the US to speak to the press, continued, “I had, like, no energy today and didn’t really have a sense of what was going on in my head.”

She ended her statement by clarifying that her intention in sharing this information is so that the public is aware that there is something wrong — health-wise — as opposed to her simply being nervous about competing.

A video shared on TikTok of Carey’s performance during the event provides more context to the situation. The footage displays Carey executing somersaults in the air, forward flips, and back flips on the competition floor.

However, just as she lands on her feet after her final flip, she loses her balance and tumbles onto the floor. To lessen the blow of the fall, Carey used her hands as back springs to stop her body from rolling over itself off the mat.

Upon seeing that video, many took to online platforms to express their worry for Carey, especially where her physical appearance is concerned. “As a fellow Extremely Pale Girl and mom of Pale Children Who Get Sick, I thought she looked extra wan today from the jump. Poor kid,” wrote an observer.

Someone else echoed, “I thought she looked really pale and out of it.” A reference to the fact that Carey divulged she has been feeling unwell for a couple of days now, another person expressed, “Days!? Shouldn’t USAG have subbed in Josc in this case?”

“[Watching] it live was so scary [I] literally was silent,” noted someone on TikTok. Adding to the conversation, another chimed in with, “[She] was sick and it looks like you can tell and the lack of eating anything she looks like the routine was disorienting her.”

Taking to Instagram after the Women’s Qualification event on July 28, Carey shared a post addressing her performance.

“all heart 🤍 not the day i was expecting to have but i can’t thank you all enough for the love and support. i am so proud of this team and what we accomplished today,” she penned in her caption alongside a carousel of images of her and her team members at the event.

Ending her message with a tone of determination, Carey stated, “we’re not done yet.” As the end of her caption indicated, the USA women’s gymnastics team had yet to compete in the Women’s Team Final, which included the floor, balance beam, uneven bars, and vault events.

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How Much Money Did Simone Biles Really Get for the Paris Olympics?

News outlets have released reports outlining how much money competing athletes earn for winning medals at the Paris Olympics. Since finding out how much Simone Biles and the rest of the US gymnastics team have made from the gold medals they have won, many were taken aback, with some expressing that the amount is not enough.

Reportedly, while the International Olympic Committee does not hand out prize money for the medals, the competitors’ countries reward their athletes with cash bonuses.

Based on information tabulated by CNBC from the national Olympic committees, local reports, and sports associations, the US sits at number ten on the list of Olympic medal bonuses.

The country ranks below Hong Kong, which is currently number one on the list as the country that offers its athletes the highest payouts for their Olympic victories. Their gold medal payout totals $768,000.

According to statistics, the top ten countries that give the largest payouts for gold medal wins, apart from Hong Kong (number 1), are Israel ($275,000), Serbia ($218,000), Malaysia ($214,000), Italy ($196,000), Lithuania ($182,000), Moldova ($171,000), Latvia ($155,000), Hungary ($154,000), and Bulgaria ($139,000).

According to CNBC, the United States pays out $38,000 for their athletes who have finished with gold on the podium thus far. Silver wins earn $23,000, and bronze sits at $15,000.

What’s interesting and what has become a point of contention online is the fact that US gymnasts who are competing in the trials do not get paid, unlike other professional athletes.

Furthermore, US athletes, in particular, do not receive money for participating in the Olympics. However, their medal winners do get prize money.

According to Forbes, the US will pay all its athletes who win gold medals a $37,500 bonus, which is sourced from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Based on the same outlet’s compilation of the highest-paid female athletes in the world, which they calculated last year (2023), iconic gymnast Simone Biles sits at number 16 on the list of 20 female athletes.

She made a total of $7.1 million by the time the scores were tabulated. $7 million stems from what Forbes dubs “off-field” activities and the other $0.1 million was made “on-field.” Biles tied with Indian badminton player P.V. Sindhu.

Upon learning the amount of money each country has made for their medal wins thus far in this year’s Olympics (2024), many social media users have expressed disappointment concerning the US’s earnings.

They also had a lot to say about the $37,500 bonus the US will award their athletes, like Biles and the rest of the gymnastics team, for winning gold medals.

“Embarrassing,” an Instagrammer expressed in the comment section of a post highlighting the top ten gold medal bonuses by nation. Another asserted, “US gets way too many golds to be matching this level of payout.”

“The United States needs to reevaluate what they pay for gold medals. 🧐,” stated an online observer. On the other hand, some people think the US bonus amount is more than fair.

“To be fair the amount of gold medals Simone [Biles] wins is more than the equivalent,” noted a netizen. A Facebooker exclaimed, “If it’s per gold medal, Simone Biles can walk away with $187,500!!!”

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Who Are Thomas Ceccon and Ruby Evans, AKA the Most Beautiful Athletes?

The public has reached a consensus regarding two individuals they feel are the best-looking male and female athletes competing in the Paris Olympic Games. While the young man hails from Italy’s swimming team, the young lady comes from Great Britain’s gymnastics team.

Proudly representing Italy as a swimmer and making the public swoon with his charming good looks is Thomas Ceccon. The 2001-born athlete has quite the swimming repertoire, having competed at two Olympic events prior to the Paris Games.

The Paris Olympics have been no exception for the talented Italian swimmer as he has made significant strides in the events he has competed in, having won a gold medal competing in the 100m backstroke.

A video shared by Vogue Magazine on TikTok shows the handsome, blue-eyed young man speaking to an interviewer with the gold medal he had won hanging around his neck.

Highlighting the tongue-in-cheek intention behind publishing the post, Vogue accompanied the footage with music icon Rihanna’s well-known song “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want.” They paired the video with the part of the track that has the lyrics, “I’m in love. I’m obsessed.”

“Yes, we are watching the #olympics for the ‘plot’ …. #thomasceccon,” captioned the outlet. Vogue is not the only entity that finds itself mesmerized by Ceccon’s handsome features, as many people have been gushing over the swimmer.

“He is the most gorgeous man I have ever seen,” swooned a fan who had seen Vogue’s video. Another penned, “[Those] ocean eyes😩🙏.” “Hottest swimmer at #Olympics […] is definitely 🇮🇹 Italy’s #ThomasCeccon 😍 Gold medalist of 100m breaststroke!” gushed an admirer.

Similarly, another fan echoed, “I gotta say, if I were a young single Olympic athlete, I’d be looking around that Olympic Village for Italian swimmer Thomas Ceccon. Because not only can the man swim, he is Greek god gorgeous [sic].”

While many have been left impressed by the “Greek god’s” allure and swimming prowess, Ceccon always knew he was destined for greatness.

Speaking in Italian to a media outlet after his gold medal win, he divulged, “Winning the Olympics was my dream as a kid. When I was a kid I went in the car to training with Alberto (the coach, ed.). He asked me what my dream was, I said, ‘to win the Olympics,’ and he said, ‘Calm down, one thing at a time.’ As a kid I knew that I could have won.”

Joining Ceccon as another athlete at the Paris Olympics who has been widely praised by the public for her looks is Welsh gymnast Ruby Evans. Hailing from Cardiff in Great Britain, the 17-year-old beauty, born in 2007, has made a name for herself in Artistic Gymnastics.

Thus far in the Paris Games, she has competed as part of the country’s women’s team in events such as the all-around, vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise.

Speaking to a news outlet about the fact that she and her fellow GB team members finished fourth in the women’s gymnastics team final, Evans expressed, “We couldn’t have done any more as a team. Uh, obviously we thought we had it but we didn’t. But yeah […] as long as we’re walking away knowing that we couldn’t have done any more then I think that’s all we can do.”

After seeing the blue-eyed beauty showcase her gymnastic prowess at the Olympics, many took to online platforms to shower her with compliments. “We might not have the best gymnast but we certainly have the prettiest in Ruby Evans,” praised a fan.

Similarly, another chimed in with, “I think Team GB [gymnast] Ruby Evans will be on the front cover of Vogue magazine before Christmas.” “Ruby Evans is literally so STUNNINGGGGGG it’s unfair,” noted someone else.

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With that last story about Ceccon and Evans, we have come to the end of our digest. From what was discussed, it’s pretty clear to see that the Paris Olympics kicked off with a bang in its first week. Stay tuned for next week’s juicy scoop coming your way soon!