Simone Biles has apparently been blocked on social media by her former USA Gymnastics teammate, MyKayla Skinner, over their escalating online feud.
The problems between the two began when Skinner criticized USA Gymnastics’ Olympic roster ahead of the Games. In a since-deleted YouTube clip, he said that “other than Simone,” the “girls just don’t have the work ethic” or the “talent.”
After winning team gold at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, Biles lashed out at Skinner on Instagram, writing, “lack of talent, lazy, olympic champion.”
Now, as Biles pointed out to X, she no longer has access to Skinner’s social media messages: ‘Oops, I’ve been blocked.’
And just in case there was any doubt, Biles’ current teammate Jordan Chiles shared a photo online of Skinner’s empty Instagram page on a cell phone. And to clear up any confusion, Chiles added a caption: “When she blocks Simone.”
Simone Biles took to Instagram this week to take aim at her former Olympic teammate MyKayla Skinner (left)
Simone Biles has apparently crossed a line with her former teammate MyKayla Skinner
Biles’ current teammate Jordan Chiles shared a photo online showing Skinner’s empty IG page
Biles isn’t the only current and former member of Team USA to poke fun at Skinner after Tuesday’s gold-medal performance. American gymnastics queen McKayla Maroney has also been embroiled in the bitter feud.
“It doesn’t get more iconic than this,” Maroney wrote on Instagram in response to Biles’ post.[Skinner] did some digging around and found out.
Maroney then joked that he would have the same nickname as Skinner.
“I feel like I need to apologize to save my first name,” she wrote.
Skinner, who won silver in the vault event in Tokyo in 2020, has come under fire for comments she made about her former teammates.
“Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and depth aren’t what they used to be,” the 27-year-old said on YouTube.
“The girls just don’t have the right work ethic,” Skinner continued, before referring to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a nonprofit organization founded to reduce sexual and emotional abuse of athletes in U.S. Olympic sports.
“And it’s also difficult because of SafeSport. Coaches can’t harass athletes and they have to be very careful about what they say,” Skinner said.
“Which is really good in some ways. But at the same time, to get where you need to be in gymnastics, you have to be a little bit aggressive and a little bit intense.”
Immediately afterward, Biles responded sharply to Skinner, writing in Threads that “not everyone needs a microphone and a platform.”
From left to right, Suni Lee, Simone Biles and Hezly Rivera celebrate winning the gold medal
Simone Biles captioned her celebratory post with a veiled photo of a former Team USA member
Maroney joked that she should apologize just because she had the same first name as Skinner
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Skinner would later apologize.
“I want to apologize to Team USA and our gymnastics community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the Olympic Gymnastics Trials. It was not my intention to insult or disrespect any athletes or to undermine their hard work,” Skinner’s July 6 apology read.
She continued: ‘When I thought about it, I compared the ‘Marta [Karolyi] era’ to the present era.
“I am coming to terms with the fact that I have not yet fully dealt with the emotional and verbal abuse I endured under Marta that may have led to my hurtful comments. I take full responsibility for what I said and sincerely apologize.”
Skinner concluded her apology by wishing the gymnasts good luck in Paris and saying she would “be cheering you all on!”
Biles and Skinner both represented Team USA at various competitions, including the 2020 Olympic Games.