Simone Biles celebrates Olympic win with pointed comment following ex-teammate’s criticism
Simone Biles has seemingly clapped back at criticism from former teammate MyKayla Skinner following the US gymnastics victory at the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday.
Following the US gymnastics team's triumph in Paris on Tuesday, Simone Biles appeared to clap back at criticism from former colleague MyKayla Skinner. The 27-year-old Biles shared photos of herself and fellow champions Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera celebrating their gold medal performance with the caption, "lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions." This Instagram post seems to be a direct response to Skinner's controversial comments in a now-deleted YouTube video posted after the team selection on June 30.
In the video, Skinner, also 27, stated, "Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just aren't what they used to be," and added, "A lot of girls don't work as hard... The girls just don't have the work ethic." Biles seemingly replied with a post on Threads, suggesting that "not everyone needs a mic and a platform." Skinner then posted a video on her Instagram Stories, claiming that her words had been misinterpreted and that she never intended to offend anyone.
However, facing significant backlash online, Skinner eventually issued an apology on X (formerly Twitter). She acknowledged that her comments were inappropriate and disrespectful and took full responsibility for her words. Skinner and Biles were both part of the Team USA gymnastics squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Skinner retired after claiming a silver medal on the vault, while Biles, already the most decorated gymnast of all time, added another title to her illustrious career by winning the team gold in Paris, securing the most Olympic medals of any US gymnast in history.
In the video, Skinner, also 27, stated, "Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just aren't what they used to be," and added, "A lot of girls don't work as hard... The girls just don't have the work ethic." Biles seemingly replied with a post on Threads, suggesting that "not everyone needs a mic and a platform." Skinner then posted a video on her Instagram Stories, claiming that her words had been misinterpreted and that she never intended to offend anyone.
However, facing significant backlash online, Skinner eventually issued an apology on X (formerly Twitter). She acknowledged that her comments were inappropriate and disrespectful and took full responsibility for her words. Skinner and Biles were both part of the Team USA gymnastics squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Skinner retired after claiming a silver medal on the vault, while Biles, already the most decorated gymnast of all time, added another title to her illustrious career by winning the team gold in Paris, securing the most Olympic medals of any US gymnast in history.