2024 Olympics: Why Simone Biles Addressed MyKayla Skinner's Comments Amid Win
Simone Biles will always use her voice to speak up for her team.
The 27-year-old got candid about her decision to defend her fellow Team USA gymnasts Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera following criticism from former Olympian MyKayla Skinner as the athletes performed at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"It's important because you have to teach them to use their voices,” Biles told People in an article published Aug. 6 of her decision to speak out. "And if not, you're a voice for the voiceless, which is OK."
Biles took home a total of four Olympic medals, including a team women’s all-around gold. After the impressive win, Biles posted photos from the competition, writing, “Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions.”
Many took the caption to be a direct diss toward Biles’ former teammate Skinner, who called out the gymnasts’ “work ethic” in a since-deleted YouTube video.
Skinner, who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, later apologized for the video, saying she supported the Team USA gymnasts and was cheering them on.
However, Skinner recently took to Instagram to issue a plea to Biles and her fans.
"Simone's latest post and others that followed it fueled another wave of hateful comments, DMs, articles and emails," she explained in an Aug. 6 video shared to Instagram. "Hate that includes death threats to me my family and even my agent.”
Skinner—who shares 11-month-old daughter Charlotte with husband Jonas Harmer—said she had apologized directly to Biles prior to the Olympics and was caught off-guard by the decorated gymnast’s headline-making caption.
"So, to Simone," Skinner concluded, "I am asking you directly and publicly to please put a stop to this. Please ask your followers to stop."
Following this year’s impressive Olympic run, Biles cemented her status as the most decorated gymnast of all time. Look back at Team USA’s impressive showing in Paris.
Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Simone Biles, Jade Carey and Suni Lee celebrated after winning gold.
The Team USA gymnasts had some fun with their medals on the podium after winning the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team Final.
Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles waved the national flag around the arena to celebrate their win.
The team was all smiles after hearing they had won the gold.
Biles looked confident as she performed her floor routine.
Lee shined during her uneven bars routine.
Biles reacts after finishing her routine on the uneven bars.
Chiles and Biles enjoyed a sweet moment together during the competition.
Biles soared during the vault competition.
Chiles had the best reaction after finishing her routine on the uneven bars.
After falling during her floor routine at qualifiers, Carey returned to the arena for the team finals, where she dominated the vault competition.
Lee delivered a jaw-dropping floor routine for Team USA.
It was another strong performance from Biles on the uneven bars.
After completing her incredible floor routine, Chiles broke down in tears.
Biles hit the balance beam in style.
Jordan Chiles fell while competing on the balance beam, but battled back to finish her routine.
The Olympian's husband Jonathan Owens, who took a break from NFL training camp to fly to Paris, and mom Nellie Biles cheered her on in the crowd.
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