Gymnasts at War: Simone Biles Unleashes on Ex-Teammate MyKayla Skinner — as Team USA Claims Gold at Paris Olympics
Simone Biles threw shade back at ex-teammate MyKayla Skinner after Team USA won Olympic gold in the women's all-around gymnastics final.
July 31 2024, Published 2:56 p.m. ET
Simone Biles has fired back at her critics – and former teammate MyKayla Skinner – after winning gold at the Paris Olympics this week.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Biles, 27, rushed to Instagram on Tuesday after she and Team USA reclaimed Olympic gold in the women's all-around gymnastics final.
Biles, who is the most decorated gymnast in history, posted a picture of herself and her teammates celebrating their Olympic win, writing: “Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions.”
The social media post appeared to be a direct dig at Skinner who, in the run-up to the Paris Olympics, criticized Team USA’s gymnastics team.
Skinner targeted Biles, Suni Lee, 21, Jordan Chiles, 23, Jade Carey, 24, and Hezly Rivera, 16, over their “work ethic” in a since-deleted YouTube video.
She said: “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be. The girls just don't have the work ethic.”
Skinner, 27, criticized Team USA’s gymnastics team in the run-up to the Paris Olympics.
Skinner, who retired from artistic gymnastics in August 2021, also referenced the U.S. Center for SafeSport – a non-profit organization created in March 2017 to stop the sexual abuse of minors and athletes in U.S. Olympic sports.
She continued: “And it's hard too because of SafeSport. Like, coaches can't get on athletes, and they have to be really careful what they say."
“Which, in some ways, is really good. But at the same time, to get to where you need to be in gymnastics you do have to be, I feel like, a little aggressive and a little intense.”
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Several U.S. gymnasts blocked Skinner on social media after the surprising YouTube video. Biles also responded on Threads, writing: “Not everyone needs a mic and a platform.”
Biles shared a pic of her and her team celebrating their Olympic win, writing: 'Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions.'
In a follow-up video, Skinner apologized for her remarks. She cited the “emotional and verbal abuse” she suffered under former USA Gymnastics national team coordinator Márta Károlyi and wished the team the best of luck at the Paris Olympics.
Skinner said: “I want to formally apologize to Team USA and to our gymnastic community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the gymnastics Olympic trials.
“It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work.”
She continued: “Upon reflection I was comparing the ‘Márta era’ to the current era."
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“I am coming to terms that I have not fully dealt with the emotional and verbal abuse I endured under Marta that perhaps led to my hurtful comments. I take full responsibility for what I said, and I deeply apologize.”
Biles, who last competed with Skinner during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, later returned to social media on Wednesday to say she has “been blocked” by her ex-teammate.
The five-time Olympic gold medalist wrote on X: “Oop I’ve been blocked.”
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