Simone Biles isn’t backing down.
On Tuesday, the day after she concluded her time at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the acclaimed gymnast defended her choice to hit back at her former teammate MyKayla Skinner‘s shady comments about the women’s gymnastics team’s lack of “talent” and “work ethic.” As Perezcious readers know, Simone referenced the diss in her Instagram caption after the team won gold at the team final. See that prior post (below):
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Her caption caused MyKayla to block her on IG before then begging Simone to apologize and shut down the online bullying she has experienced since the reference put her in the hot seat again. Skinner said in a video on Tuesday:
“To Simone, I am asking you directly and publicly to please put a stop to this. Please ask your followers to stop. You have been an incredible champion for mental health awareness and a lot of people need your help now. We’ve been attacked in ways that I’m certain you never intended. Your performance, the team’s performance and the Olympics in general should be a time that we support one another.”
But speaking to People, the 27-year-old made it very clear that she will NOT be walking back her comments. Addressing why she felt the need to speak up against the shady criticism (which MyKayla has already apologized for), Simone told the outlet:
“It’s important because you have to teach them [her teammates] to use their voices. And if not, you’re a voice for the voiceless, which is okay.”
As the “team lead,” the Courage To Soar author felt it was her duty to defend her fellow athletes Suni Lee, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, and Hezly Rivera from the hate, adding:
“I just felt like it was right in that moment to stand up for them, because they’re so young and they haven’t fully stood in their power yet.”
The reaction from the other gymnasts was all she needed to feel good about her decision. She noted that “for somebody to stand up, I know it meant a lot for [my teammates].” Aw!
This is just more proof that Simone moved through this Olympics with a renewed strength and confidence, especially compared to the Tokyo games which saw her drop out due to the “twisties.” On what changed, she reflected:
“Putting in that therapy and that mental work meant everything to me and it was much needed.”
She kept up with her therapy in Paris, even despite the time change — which was probably a good thing with all the added pressure of competing again and the stress following her ex-teammate’s comments! She shared:
“I never thought I’d be on the world stage, again, competing. … [I’m] so much more relieved, so much more at a better spot, mentally and physically, just happy with overall what I’ve been able to accomplish and what I’ve done.”
She not only competed (and crushed it), but she shut down bullies, too! That’s the powerhouse she is!
Addressing Simone’s confidence this time around, her mom Nellie Biles also said:
“Everybody knows Simone’s story, right? All those times were really dark and stressful times. To work through that and be in this place where she enjoys doing what she wants, and she is handling her sport the way she would have liked to four years ago and that never happened. But this is rewriting her story, and I think it’s great. It’s rewriting it on her terms because she is in this place that she really perhaps wished she would have been for years.”
The fact that she’s also thinking so deeply about her teammates, who were no doubt affected by MyKayla’s hurtful comments, says a lot! We doubt Simone condones cyberbullying or threats of any kind, especially not after the mental health struggles she faced. But she had a right to react to the upsetting commentary and the fact that she got called out, too.
And anyway, all she did was paraphrase the OG comments — it’s not like she was the one dishing out hate in the first place! Just saying!! Reactions?? Let us know (below)!
[Image via NBC Sports/YouTube & MyKayla Skinner/Instagram & MEGA/WENN]
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