Gymnast Samantha Cerio who dislocated both knees during competition tells people to stop watching viral video

'My pain is not your entertainment,' the college gymnast says

Chelsea Ritschel
New York
Friday 12 April 2019 14:06 BST
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College gymnast Samantha Cerio asks that video of her injury stop being shared

A college gymnast who injured both her legs during a competition has asked people to stop circulating the video of the routine.

Samantha Cerio, a senior at Auburn University, addressed the viral video on Twitter, where she lashed out at those who have continued to upload it and tag her.

“Those of you posting and tagging me in the video of my injury, I am asking you to please stop,” she wrote.

“Going through the pain and seeing my knees bent unnaturally in real life was horrible enough, but to continue to see it from videos/pictures because some people feel entitled to repost is not okay.

“I have family, friends, and teammates who do not need to see me getting injured over and over again. My pain is not your entertainment.”

Cerio dislocated both of her knees and tore multiple ligaments in her legs Friday while doing a floor routine at an NCAA regional semifinal competition in Louisiana. After landing at an awkward angle, the gymnast was carried off the floor in a stretcher.

Following her injury, Cerio underwent a two-and-a-half hour surgery Monday, according to her coach Jeff Graba, who called the procedure an “extreme success”.

She is currently recovering in the hospital.

Cerio announced on Instagram she is retiring from gymnastics after 18 years.

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“It may not have ended the way I had planned, but nothing ever goes as planned,” she wrote.

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