MyKayla Skinner is calling on Simone Biles to urge her followers to stop the online bullying and death threats against the former USA Gymnastics star as their feud escalates.
“I honestly hoped this topic wouldn’t come up again but unfortunately it’s gotten out of hand lately,” an emotional Skinner said on Instagram on Tuesday, alleging that she and her family have been the target of death threats.
“I therefore ask Simone directly and publicly to put an end to this,” Skinner continued.
Skinner came under heavy criticism when he recently questioned the commitment of the current U.S. gymnastics team. Those comments resurfaced after a cryptic social media post from Biles: “lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions.”
Since then, she and her family have been the target of cyberbullying, Skinner says.
MyKayla Skinner Begs Simone Biles to Help Her Fight Cyberbullying
Simone Biles captioned her celebratory post with a veiled photo of a former Team USA member
Skinner stoked the online conflict by sharing her thoughts on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team in a YouTube video ahead of the Paris Olympics.
“Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and depth just isn’t what it used to be,” the 27-year-old said on YouTube, but later apologized for the comment.
But now Skinner claims she, her husband, her daughter and even her agent are being bullied online.
“I’m here because four weeks ago I made a comment about work ethic and what seems to be going on with the rising generation,” Skinner said at the top of her Instagram video.
“To be absolutely clear, I take 100 percent credit for poorly articulating the point I was trying to make,” she continued. “The last thing I wanted to do was cause harm or insult our U.S. Olympic team. I know these women are incredible — the very best of the best. And almost all of them are my former teammates, who I have had the pleasure of cheering on over the years.”
“I posted a video of my apology on Instagram, followed by a written apology and I sent individual messages to all the women on the team,” Skinner said. “Only Simone responded and she told me she was proud of me.
You can imagine my surprise when I was celebrating our team winning gold last week, and then I saw it all again in a caption on an Instagram post.
“If Simone truly believes that I’ve called our team lazy and lacking talent and that’s how she really feels, then I’m truly heartbroken. But not just because I don’t feel that way…but because Simone’s latest [social media] post and others that followed sparked a new wave of hateful comments, DMs, articles, and emails – hate that included death threats against me, my family, and even my agent.
‘My family and my friends don’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire here. They didn’t do anything.
“So, Simone, I’m asking you directly and publicly to please stop this,” she concluded. “Please ask your followers to stop.
“You have been an incredible advocate for mental health awareness, and so many people need your help right now. We have been hurt and attacked in ways that I know you never intended. Your performance, the team’s performance, and the Olympics in general should be a time where we support each other and lift each other up and our country. I love our country and I love our team and I hope that we can move forward and move forward and cheer on the rest of our teammates and our athletes together.”
Simone Biles (left), Jordan Chiles (center), Jade Carey (2nd left), Sunisa Lee (2nd right) and Healy Rivera
Biles’ fans wasted no time in mocking Skinner after the gymnastics legend made history again on Thursday with a gold medal.
“Mykayla Skinner could NEVER,” one person wrote. “W“Below what Mykayla Skinner has to say now,” added another.
“What a lazy and untalented performance @Simone_Biles @sunisalee,” a third added – tagging Skinner in the post.
Biles’ American teammate Suni Lee won a bronze medal after a sensational performance on the field, while Brazil’s Rebecca Andrade won silver.
“Haters are going to say she’s lazy and not as talented as she used to be,” a third fan joked, while another suggested Skinner’s comments were the very foundation for the American stars’ success on Thursday.
“Shout out to Mykayla Skinner for setting Simone and Suni on fire today,” they wrote.
Biles recovered from a rare mistake on the uneven bars to win the ninth medal of her Olympic career.
The 27-year-old rebounded with excellent performances on beam and floor, beating Andrade and cementing her reputation as the best American of all time.