Since Biles seemed to retaliate against remarks the former gymnast made regarding this year’s Olympic team, Skinner claimed she has received death threats.
MyKayla Skinner, a retired gymnast, has urged Simone Biles, her former teammate, to “put a stop” to the hate that has surrounded her ever since Biles made contentious remarks regarding the U.S. women’s Olympic team this year. Specifically, Biles sparked the conversation again last week with an Instagram caption.
In a video uploaded to her Instagram on Tuesday, Skinner—who competed with Biles on the 2020 U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team—stated that she has experienced cyberbullying and that her family has also received “threats of physical harm” in recent weeks. The “wave of hateful comments, DMs, articles, and emails” that followed, she claimed in the video, were made worse by fans who “cheer on the bullying,” Biles’ post that appeared to be disparaging Skinner, and Biles herself.
This back-and-forth drama in the gymnastics community started in June when Skinner uploaded a YouTube video about the 2024 Olympic team that has since been removed.
In the YouTube video, Skinner stated, “Aside from Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t what it used to be.” “Obviously, a lot of girls simply don’t put in as much effort. Simply put, the girls lack a strong work ethic.”
The fact that many of the women on this year’s Team USA were also Skinner’s 2020 teammates contributed to the backlash against the remarks. 2020 saw Skinner and Jade Carey compete in an individual event, while Biles, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, and Grace McCallum participated in a team event. The team members this year were Biles, Chiles, Lee, Carey, and Hezly Rivera.
If Biles “truly believes that I called our team lazy and lacking talent… I am really heartbroken over it,” Skinner stated in her most recent video. She added that the post had sparked death threats against her and those close to her, adding to the pain she felt even though “it isn’t what I feel or even what I previously said.”
“My friends and family shouldn’t have to be the victims of this situation. Nothing has been done by them,” said Skinner.
She urged Biles to “directly and publicly” ask her fans to stop attacking her in the video’s conclusion. Observing that the champion worked in the field of mental health, she said, “Many people need your help now.”
“I’m sure you never intended to hurt and attack us in the ways that we have,” Skinner remarked. “We should encourage and support one another during your performance, the team’s performance, and the Olympics in general. We should also use this opportunity to elevate our nation. I hope we can move on, forward, and support the remaining teammates and athletes as a team because I love our nation and our team.”
The three-time gold medallist and one-time silver medalist Biles has not yet reacted to Skinner’s video.
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