Nemour, who trains about 150 miles from Paris, began representing her father’s homeland of Algeria in 2023 after a lengthy dispute with the French Gymnastics Federation.
In 2021, Nemour was sidelined by osteochondritis, a knee joint condition that necessitated several surgeries, keeping her away from gymnastics for almost a year. Although her personal physician cleared her for competition, the national team doctor in France — who had not seen her — denied her medical clearance.
With only one year left before the Olympic Games, Nemour’s career faced a serious setback. As her last chance to qualify for the Games approached, she opted to change her national affiliation to Algeria. However, the French federation did not approve this switch, resulting in a delay that prevented her from competing until July 2023.
This timeline was critical as it coincided with the African Championships, an essential event for her qualification for the world championships. Success there was necessary for her to earn a spot at the Paris Olympics.
An online petition advocating for Nemour garnered over 6,000 signatures. In May 2023, six French gymnasts shared their experiences of abuse while on the national team, prompting French Minister for Sport and the Olympic & Paralympic Games, Amelie Oudea-Castera, to initiate an investigation. She convened a meeting with the French Gymnastics Federation to discuss various matters, including Nemour’s nationality issue.
Following this, the Federation announced that Nemour would be allowed to represent Algeria, granting her clearance to compete just weeks before the African Championships.
Seizing this opportunity, Nemour made an impressive debut at the 2023 world championships, where she earned a silver medal on the uneven bars, becoming the first African gymnast to win a world medal.
At what is considered a home Games for her, she achieved fifth place in the all-around final and secured a gold medal on the uneven bars.
“I am very, very, very happy with what I was able to do today,” Nemour expressed. “I am still a little shocked… It was my ultimate dream, years of hard work and dedication. It’s truly incredible, and I feel honored to have won this medal, a first for me and for Algeria as well. I hope I made them proud.”