Simone Biles criticized for pulling out of gymnastics team finals

By Terry Shropshire
Jul 28, 2021
10:45 am

If observers were surprised that all-time gymnastics great Simone Biles pulled out of the team finals, many registered even greater levels of shock that fans started pummeling Biles for it.

As has been reported, Biles, 24, did not finish the team competition, one of the six events Biles was trying to win gold medals in. The team finished with the silver medal, coming in behind the Russian squad, and some fans are blaming Biles for it. Some of Biles’ colleagues, however, have formed a figurative circle of defense around the diminutive diva who’s the most decorated gymnast of all time.

Following immediate reports that she may have been injured, Biles admitted at the press conference that she pulled out because the mental strain and anxiety had overwhelmed her.

Simone Biles on her withdrawal after the vault: "I felt like it would be better to take a back seat… I didn’t want to risk the team a medal because they worked way too hard for my screw ups." pic.twitter.com/lI43LuFeX5

— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) July 27, 2021

Biles confirms she is not dealing with an injury. "It's been really stressful this Olympic games…it’s been a long week, a long Olympic process, a long year.

I think we’re a little too stressed out – we should be out here having fun and that’s just not the case."

— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) July 27, 2021

Simone Biles:
Confirms in press conference that there is “NO injury, thankfully.”

“I’ll usually persevere and push through things…” pic.twitter.com/mK57Bd2h2p

— Coy Wire (@CoyWire) July 27, 2021

Many fans did not digest the news of Biles’ withdrawal very well. Detractors slammed the megastar gymnast for purportedly having diverted attention instead of possessing her customary laser focus on her craft.

https://twitter.com/nickioncrack/status/1419815860949057537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1419815860949057537%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsandrarose.com%2F2021%2F07%2Fgymnastics-fans-criticize-simone-biles-for-quitting-after-stumbling-in-tokyo%2F

I'm telling y'all, man, Simone Biles is performing poorly because of having a boyfriend

Less concentration on her art, more concentration on getting some D when she gets home after training lmaooo

— Social media is the Borg (@captainkayter) July 27, 2021

Biles’ celebrity friends, admirers and fellow Olympic icons swiftly came to her defense against the mounting number of critics, which includes Great Britian’s high-profile personality Piers Morgan.

I knew it as soon as I seen her boyfriend I knew simone was going to. Be trouble

— B L A C K C L O U D ⛈ (@blac_kloud) July 27, 2021

Someone said it best. @Simone_Biles already won. She is a class act. Withdrew from team competion after vault… stayed and cheered on her teammates… got them chalk for their hands.. encouraged.. hugged them. She already won. Congrats on the silver medal! @TeamUSA @USAGym

— Hoda Kotb (@hodakotb) July 27, 2021

Retired Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman, who won gold medals with Biles in the 2016 games, has been worried about Biles’ mental state. “I know all of these athletes dream of this moment for their whole, entire lives,” Raisman told the ‘Today” show. “I’m obviously so worried and hoping that Simone is okay. I’m also just thinking about the mental impact that this has to have on Simone. It’s just so much pressure … and it’s just devastating.”