Gold medal gymnast Simone Biles is among several U.S. athletes whose medical records were published online this week by a Russian hacking group calling itself Fancy Bear, according to reports.
Biles led the U.S. women’s gymnastics team to gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, winning individual gold in the all around, vault and floor exercise and bronze on balance beam. The group also released records for tennis star Venus Williams and basketball player Elena Delle Donne.
The hackers said they got the information from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) database. Reports say the leak followed anger over the ban of much of the Russian track and field team from the Games. The hackers claimed the United States “played well but not fair.”
The records show the athletes had therapeutic use exemptions, which are permissions granted through the proper process that allow athletes to take medication for medical conditions. An exemption is not evidence of cheating.
Biles responded on Twitter, writing, “I have ADHD and I have taken medicine for it since I was a kid. Please know, I believe in clean sport, have always followed the rules, and will continue to do so as fair play is critical to sport and is very important to me.” She added that taking medicine for ADHD is nothing to be ashamed of.
The basketball player also responded on social media, thanking fans for their support after thumb surgery and saying she legally takes prescribed medication for a diagnosed condition for which WADA granted her an exemption.
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