Skinner Reignites Feud with Simone Biles Over Riley Gaines Comments
Former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner is accusing her teammate Simone Biles of mistreatment behind the scenes, just days after Biles clashed publicly with Riley Gaines over transgender athletes in sports.
In a statement shared via One America News, Skinner, 28, said Biles “belittled, dismissed and ostracized” her during their time on Team USA. Despite both gymnasts being part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The claim comes as Biles faces backlash for calling Gaines a “sore loser” in response to Gaines’ criticism of a transgender softball player. Skinner spoke up in defense of Gaines, stating:
“It’s deeply troubling to see Simone Biles publicly label a fellow female athlete a ‘sore loser’ simply for expressing valid concerns about fairness in women’s sports.”
A History of Tension
This isn’t the first time Skinner and Biles have publicly clashed. In a now-deleted YouTube video, Skinner criticized Team USA’s current Olympic hopefuls, implying they lacked the work ethic of previous squads. Biles appeared to respond indirectly, posting:
“Not everyone needs a mic and a platform.”
Skinner later apologized, but the tension clearly lingers.
Now, she says the pressure to remain silent during her career was intense.
“Throughout my own career, I endured being belittled, dismissed and ostracized behind the scenes by Simone… I kept quiet out of respect for my teammates and the sport.”
Simone Biles Responds to Backlash and Apologizes
After her harsh comments toward Gaines drew national attention, Biles issued a follow-up statement on social media, acknowledging she went too far:
“It didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for,” she wrote.
Still, Biles doubled down on her belief in balancing inclusivity and competitive fairness, and floated ideas like creating a separate transgender category in sports.
With Olympic season approaching, the growing feud between these prominent athletes adds another layer of controversy to the already heated national conversation around gender identity in sports.
Read More: All the Gymnastic Moves Now Named After Simone Biles
