Simone Biles seemed to subtly address MyKayla Skinner’s earlier remarks about the U.S. gymnastics team’s “work ethic” with an Instagram caption on July 30. After Team USA’s gold medal win at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Biles, who has become the most decorated U.S. gymnast in Olympic history, posted a celebratory message. In her post, she wrote, “Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions ❤️🥇🇺🇸,” which appeared to be a response to Skinner’s criticism.
Skinner, who won a silver medal in vault at the 2020 Olympics, had previously expressed doubts about the team’s talent and work ethic in a now-deleted YouTube video. She also mentioned the impact of SafeSport’s abuse awareness training on the current gymnasts’ work ethic.
Skinner later clarified that her comments were misinterpreted and apologized for any offense caused. She explained that her remarks were more about her experiences compared to the past era under coach Márta Károlyi and not a criticism of the current team. Skinner expressed her support for the team and wished them well in her apology.
