Simone Biles appeared to address the controversial comments made by MyKayla Skinner following the U.S. gymnastics team’s triumph at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
On Tuesday, July 30, Biles, alongside teammates Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, secured gold for Team USA. To commemorate the victory, Biles shared several celebratory photos on Instagram, capturing the joy and camaraderie of the squad.
“Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions ?????,” Biles captioned the post, seemingly a direct response to Skinner’s earlier criticisms.
The 2020 Olympic vault silver medalist had previously expressed doubts about the current team’s abilities in a now-deleted YouTube video.
When the team was announced last month, Skinner remarked, “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be.” She continued, “Just notice like, I mean, obviously a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic,” according to a clip from the video shared on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Skinner elaborated further, comparing the current era to the one under former team coordinator Márta Károlyi. “It was more about going back into my own gym, just the work ethic is different compared to when we were doing gymnastics in the Márta era. And I’m not sticking up for Márta or saying what she did was good, I’m just saying it was different,” she said.
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Realizing the impact of her words, Skinner issued an apology. “So anyway, sorry for anything that got out of context or seemed hurtful. That is never my intention. And seriously, throughout the video, I was so pumped for the girls, and it was so fun watching trials and doing a live with everybody,” she said in a follow-up statement.
Skinner further clarified her position through a statement shared with PEOPLE via a representative. “I want to formally apologize to Team USA and to our gymnastics community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the gymnastics Olympic trials,” she said.
“It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work. Your hard work and dedication has paid off and I congratulate each and every one of you,” Skinner continued. She acknowledged that her comments stemmed from unresolved feelings about the abuse she endured during the Károlyi era. “Upon reflection, I was comparing the ‘Marta Era’ to the current era. 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,” Skinner explained.
Concluding her statement, Skinner emphasized her desire for the sport to continue its path of healing and to foster a positive environment for all athletes. “It is most important to me that the sport I love continue down the path of healing and ensures a positive environment for all. I wish you all the very best in Paris. I will be cheering you all on! Go Team USA!” she added.
As the U.S. gymnastics team celebrates their victory and Biles continues to build her legacy, the focus remains on unity, resilience, and the unwavering dedication that defines these extraordinary athletes.
