WATCH: Jason Kelce arm wrestles rugby star Nicole Heavirland in Paris and fans think he may have cheated

PARIS, FRANCE: A video of retired NFL star Jason Kelce facing off in a heated arm-wrestling match against Team USA women's rugby star Nicole Heavirland has gone viral amid the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

While the former Philadelphia Eagles center did manage to beat the Olympian, the techniques used by him were called into question. 

This follows Kelce's declaration to Heavirland's teammate Ilona Maher that he was officially a superfan of the women's rugby team.

Jason Kelce arm wrestles Olympics rugby star Nicole Heavirland at Paris 

After the Team USA women's rugby sevens beat Brazil on Sunday, July 28, Jason Kelce, donning a beret and radiating Olympic spirit, dropped by the team's locker room and took on Nicole Heavirland in a dramatic arm-wrestling match.

The was intense and fiercely contested, with both competitors gripping tightly and exerting all their strength to win. However, within just 30 seconds, Kelce was declared the winner.

Although Kelce emerged victorious, his win was marred by humorous accusations of cheating—specifically, that he had used his left hand to grip the table.

The rugby star shared a video of the match on Instagram, playfully critiquing Kelce’s tactics. Her caption read, "@jason.kelce holding on to that table a little bit? 🤣." 

Similar to Heavirland, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the New Heights podcast, shared the clip, writing, "We all see that left hand @JasonKelce 😂👀." 

The former football player swiftly defended his actions stating, "Grabbing something with your off hand is not against any rules according to the guidelines set forth by the IFAW (International Federation of Arm Wrestling)."

Jason Kelce's fans react to his response as he's called out for cheating

Jason Kelce's fans had hilarious reactions as he tried to defend himself against the allegations of cheating in his arm wrestling match with Nicole Heavirland. 

One wrote, "Might not be illegal @JasonKelce but it is frowned upon," and another added. "All fair game," along with a laughing emoji. 

A person wrote, "Oh, well, in that case!" along with a GIF of a dog staring.

"At least you are always upfront about your attempts at cheating," remarked a follower, with one more saying, "Struggle is real."

"Just because it’s not addressed doesn’t mean it should be allowed. You know what you did," stated another person, while an individual mocked him, writing, "Shame, shame Jason!!!"

Who is Nicole Heavirland?

Nicole Heavirland, 26, played basketball during her first semester at Army West Point before transitioning to their rugby team in the Spring of 2015, the same year she was named a US Military Academy All-American. 

She made her rugby sevens debut during the 2015–16 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series and was a reserve for the 2016 Brazil Olympics.

Heavirland was among the players selected to represent Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where the team ranked sixth after Great Britain knocked them out in the quarterfinals.

Team USA emerged victorious over Brazil (15-7) and Japan (36-7) on the same day as Heavirland and Jason's arm wrestling session. A day later, the team beat Great Britain in the quarterfinals and is now preparing to face New Zealand in the semifinals.

Heavirland and Maher are leading the charge as they strive for a podium finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, determined to maintain the excellent momentum they’ve built during the competition.

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