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Topics: Simone Biles, Olympics, Sport
Jess Hardiman
Topics: Simone Biles, Olympics, Sport
Simone Biles has been in headlines this week after becoming the most decorated gymnast in Olympics history, having landed yet another gold medal in the women's artistic team all-around event.
But there’s also drama outside of the arena that’s had tongues wagging, thanks to an Instagram snap she posted afterwards to celebrate her team’s win, posting a photo of them posing with an American flag.
Well, it’s actually the caption that caused a stir: "Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions."
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This, it seems, is a thinly-veiled reference to previous comments by gymnast MyKayla Skinner.
Olympic silver medallist Skinner questioned the talent and worth ethic of the USA Gymnastics' Olympic team after not being picked earlier this year.
Skinner - who was the one to take Biles’ place in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she pulled out due to a case of the ‘twisties’ - spoke out following the Gymnastic US Olympic Team Trials in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last month.
In a now-deleted video, she said: "...besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be."
She added: "The girls just don't have the work ethic.”
However, she was quick to retract her claims, swiftly putting out an apology defending the sport, saying: "I want to formally apologise to Team USA and to our gymnastic community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the gymnastics Olympic trials.
"It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work."
But the apology didn’t seem to land that well with Biles, who clearly backs her teammates all the way.
She appeared to hit back in the caption of her Instagram tribute to her team – sorry, the ‘lazy, Olympic champions’, while her husband, Chicago Bears NFL star Jonathan Owens, also commented: "F AROUND AND FIND OUT."
It looks as though Skinner may have taken the recent jab to heart, having now supposedly blocked Biles.
Posting a screenshot of Skinner’s account, teammate Jordan Chiles wrote: "When she blocks Simone."
And Instagram isn't the only platform she’s removed Biles from.
On X (formerly Twitter), Biles posted: "Oops I've been blocked," with side eye and laughing emojis.