Simone Biles defends herself after being called 'disgusting' in bizarre criticism of iconic gesture
The most decorated gymnast of all time, Simone Biles famously takes no prisoners when it comes to the online criticism she is ceaselessly subjected to - and rightly so.
The Team USA star has been forced to hit back at cruel taunts from spectators consistently throughout the duration of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, despite walking away with a staggering three gold medals so far.
Whether it be the styling of her hair or her reaction to a devastating loss, the 27-year-old champion simply cannot seem to catch a break when it comes to the most hard-faced of her critics.
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And apparently, it's not just viewers watching from home who've taken aim at Simone this week - it's actually a pretty famous face, in the form of NFL player Marlon Humphrey.
The American football player took to social media earlier this week where he had his say on a controversial move that saw Simone take a bow of respect to Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade.
For those who haven't yet caught up with the jaw-dropping Olympic moment, Simone narrowly lost out on a gold medal to her South American opponent after making an 'out-of-character' mistake during Monday's floor competition, landing her in second place.
Whilst viewers at home were shocked to see the Simone miss out on her fourth gold medal after she landed with both feet outside the floor area, she was gracious in her defeat.
In fact, during the medal-giving ceremony, she and her American teammate Jordan Chiles - who won the bronze medal - were subsequently praised by millions of fans for the honourable gesture they made to Andrade following her win.
The duo both bowed in salute to the winner, after which one viewer penned online: "Ugh, that was so beautiful!!"
Another said: "It's impossible not to like Simone, I'm sorry," as a third added: "The official broadcast didn't show it, but the American's bow to Rebeca was beautiful."
One unimpressed viewer, however, was none other than Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who had some pretty harsh words to say about the US pair's move.
He described their gesture on Twitter as 'literally disgusting'.
Thankfully, however, in true Simone Biles style, the much-loved Olympian soon hit back at the criticism, leaving Humphrey running away with his tail between his legs.
Speaking on the TODAY show today (6 Aug), she defended her decision, adding: "I think it's all about sportsmanship, and we don't care whether we win or lose.
"We're always going to keep a good face and support our competitors because they've worked just as hard as we have for that moment."
She added: "You have to give them their flowers and that's exactly what me and Jordan were doing.
"We were so happy for her. She deserved it, she had the best floor routine of the day, and of the Olympics."
We love a humble queen.
Topics: Simone Biles, Celebrity, US News, Olympics, Sport
Rhianna Benson