The way I understand it is that you have two overlapping status qualifying periods:
1.1.2020 - 31.12.2020 - whatever status you achieve in this period is valid until 31.12.2021
1.7.2020 - 31.12.2021 - whatever status you achieve in this period is valid until 31.12.2022
I don't see any reference to getting free status through to 2022.
My take is:
1.1.2020 - 31.12.2020 - whatever status you currently hold (or achieve, if higher) in this period is valid until 31.12.2021
1.7.2020 - 31.12.2020 - whatever nights you accumulated in this period are carried forward to 2021 (to achieve status in 2022).
Say you are currently Gold had 14 nights in H1 2020, and was gifted 15 nights. You now have 39 nights which normally wouldn't requalify for Gold but your status had been extended till Dec 31 2021. If you stay 31 nights July-December you will be upgraded to Platinum. In 2021, you will start the year with those 31 nights carried over helping you renew Platinum more easily.