Former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner is once again speaking out after her comments about Simone Biles and the Team USA went viral.
Hours after the artistic gymnastics competition wrapped up in Paris on Tuesday, Skinner shared a lengthy video on Instagram with her followers explaining the “cyberbullying” and threats of “physical harm” she and her family have been dealing with.
“I sincerely hope that this topic wouldn’t need to be revisited,” she began. “But unfortunately things have really gotten out of hand lately, and it’s one thing to disagree with me regarding something I’ve said or a point I was trying to make, but it’s something else entirely when that turns into cyberbullying or even worse.”
Skinner’s video comes weeks after she made a comment in a now-deleted YouTube video about this year’s Team USA roster.
“Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be,” she said. “Just notice like, I mean, obviously a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic.”
Her words were met with immediate backlash, and she was forced to publish an apology on her social media.
“It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work,” the former gymnast’s statement said, in part.
Following Team USA’s gold medal performance during the women’s gymnastics all-around team final, Biles shared several images of her team celebrating their win with the caption “lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions,” referring to Skinner’s previous comment.
Skinner, who filled in for Biles during the 2020 Tokyo games and won silver, congratulated the women on their win in her Instagram Story.
The 11-time Olympic medalist later revealed Skinner blocked her on social media.
However, on Tuesday, Skinner shared a video on Instagram pleading with Biles to “put a stop” to the cyberbullying.
The retired gymnast claimed to receive countless DMs, emails, and comments from people threatening not only herself and her family, but also her agent.
“My family and my friends don’t deserve to be caught in a crossfire here. They’ve done nothing. So, to Simone, I am asking you to directly and publicly to please put a stop to this,” Skinner said. “Please ask your followers to stop. You have been an incredible champion for mental health awareness, and a lot of people need your help now. We’ve been hurt and attacked in ways that I am certain you never intended.”
Comments on Skinner’s video have been limited and only appear to include ones that support Skinner. Several people have also tagged Biles questioning if she will end this feud.
You can watch Skinner’s entire video here.
Although Biles hasn’t responded to Skinner’s video, she did comment on using her voice earlier in the games.
“It’s important because you have to teach them to use their voices,” she told People. “And if not, you’re a voice for the voiceless, which is okay.”
“I just felt like it was right in that moment to stand up for them, because they’re so young and they haven’t fully stood in their power yet.”
Wow. What MyKayla Skinner said was not right, and then to blame Simone Biles for the hate that she’s received?
What do you think? I think it’s a nasty feud that should be kept offline, but I certainly don’t think Simone is wrong.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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