Olympics-Gymnastics-Biles claps back at former teammate after ‘lazy’ accusations
Adds Biles' quote, details
By Karen Braun
PARIS, July 31 (Reuters) -Simone Biles crafted a gold medal-worthy caption after the U.S. women dominated the Olympic gymnastics team final in an apparent slam against her former teammate following harsh remarks weeks earlier.
"Lack of talent, lazy Olympic champions," Biles posted on Instagram after the win alongside a photo of her triumphant American teammates, a veteran squad which dubbed themselves the "Golden Girls" following Tuesday’s U.S. victory.
Biles was referencing colourful commentary made by 2020 U.S. Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner while live video-blogging the U.S. team trials in June.
"Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be," Skinner, 27, said in the now-deleted video.
"The girls just don't have the work ethic."
Skinner apparently did not take kindly to Biles' hit-back.
"Oop I’ve been blocked," Biles posted on X on Wednesday around the same time teammate Jordan Chiles posted a story on Instagram showing that Skinner had blocked Biles' account.
Skinner was likely sensing the backlash amid the U.S. win in Paris, especially as Biles' team members piled on.
"Put a finger down if Simone Biles just ended you," U.S. Olympian Sunisa Lee commented on Biles' post from Tuesday.
Skinner's words back in June immediately drew a landslide of backlash from the gymnastics community and scores of athletes, including former Olympians, swarmed to the ladies’ defence.
"Let the stinky ‘turd’ lie in all its stinkiness," Kathy Johnson Clarke, two-time 1984 U.S. Olympic medallist turned commentator, posted on X, seemingly referencing Skinner's comments.
Skinner, who felt she was unfairly left off the 2016 Rio squad, was selected to represent the U.S. as an individual in Tokyo where she earned a silver medal in the vault, an event from which the heavily-favoured Biles withdrew due to the "twisties".
A few days after the damaging video, Skinner tried to smooth things over by suggesting her comments had been misinterpreted. Biles was unimpressed.
"Not everyone needs a mic and a platform," Biles, 27, posted on social media amid Skinner’s botched apology, possibly prompting Skinner’s longer, written statement a couple days later.
"It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work," she wrote at the time.
"I take full responsibility for what I said and I deeply apologize."
But Biles and most other Team USA gymnasts had already unfollowed Skinner on Instagram.
Biles will go for her ninth Olympic medal and second of the Paris Games in Thursday's all-around final.
Editing by Christian Radnedge
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
