The Olympic gymnast is under renewed public scrutiny after a fellow gymnast and former Team USA member accused her of emotional mistreatment and exclusion during their years together on the U.S. Olympic team.
Mykayla Skinner’s emotional claims against Simone Biles, shared during a recent interview with Fox News, have ignited heated debates across social media platforms, pitting critics and defenders of both women against each other.
In the interview, Maykayla, 28, alleged that she endured years of “belittling” behavior from Simone, pointing to incidents during training camps and major competitions, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
“Now that I have a daughter… I want the future of women’s gymnastics and women’s sports in general to have fairness,” Mykayla said, explaining her motivation to come forward now.
She also voiced support for activist and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, whose stance on trans inclusion in women’s sports has drawn national attention.
“There have been multiple times throughout my Olympic journey… where she has come and belittled all of us…I wanted to stay silent… because she has a huge platform,” she added.
Mykayla described one instance during the last Olympic cycle as a tipping point. After posting a commentary video about the Olympic trials at the request of fans, she said a clip from it was taken out of context and went viral, leading to intense online backlash.
She claimed her publicist even received hate and threats as a result, and despite reaching out to Simone and other teammates, she said no one responded. “It was really hard. I felt so isolated,” Mykayla recalled.
She also claimed that the toxic environment extended beyond Tokyo. “There were multiple times when things happened and it was just swept under the rug,” she alleged, saying that other gymnasts also felt dismissed or unsupported.
Simone has yet to publicly respond to Mykayla’s statements. But the internet had plenty to say.
podium training✨ pic.twitter.com/stfP0lkQJa
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) May 31, 2024
On YouTube, Mykayla’s supporters came out strong, with some users writing things like, “Biles has gone from quitter to loser,” and “Bile is vile.” Another posted, “FINALLY… we need more athletes to stand with Riley. Thank you Mykayla. [sic]”
“S.B.’s true colors are being exposed. She’s no one’s role model. Never was,” one user wrote, while another added, “So Simone is a bully. She underestimated Riley and didn’t realize Riley would not be quite like the other girls.”
happy to be back out on the floor! this journey has been a rollercoaster of emotions. thank you for believing in me. 🫶🏾 pic.twitter.com/wENM2wYFqd
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) August 6, 2023
“Good on you [Mykayla] for speaking out against bullies! I applaud your bravery,” another comment read.
“The crazy thing is, Simone didn’t have to say anything,” one post said.
However, not everyone agreed with Mykayla’s claims. Some questioned the legitimacy of her story, suggesting she may have ulterior motives. One user commented, “Mykayla is the one with a history of bullying.”
Another called the whole situation “comical,” writing, “She was ‘bullied’ because they didn’t return her call. Yet she has no specific incident where Simone bullied her. To funny.[sic]”
Another viewer posted, “Who remembers Mykayla Who remembers Simone Biles…EVERYBODY!!!!! Stop with this nonsense-story! This is not a story. Especially when we only hear your version of events. Stop trying to eat off Simone. [sic]”
“She’s lying. Nobody has never even hear of Skinner. She’s just mad bc she was never able to achieve all the success SB has [sic],” one user said.
“She said she was bullied but she never actually said what words were exchanged and he kept giving her chances to explain what the ‘bullying’ was [sic],” another viewer noted.
Some even suggested that Skinner’s complaints stem from being unable to handle the high-pressure nature of elite sports. “Mykayla seems like she cant handle competing at a high level. Professional athletics are highly competitive and the ultimate in meritocracy. Be the BEST or LOSE. Really simple. [sic]”
Another post read, “Belittled ?? funny Just because she’s better than you? What a shame[sic].”
so incredibly proud of this girl right here 🤍
thanks for always keeping gym light hearted and fun! love you! you’re amazing ms olympian 🤩 @mykaylaskinner pic.twitter.com/xSd3PAJCNn— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 25, 2021
As the debate rages on, Riley Gaines, whom Mykayla cited as a motivating figure, also found herself under fire following a harsh social media comment from Simone.
In response to one of Riley’s tweets about trans athletes, Simone fired back with a scathing message:
“You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. You should be uplifting the trans community… But instead… You bully them… One thing for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!”
@Riley_Gaines_ You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender… https://t.co/pjpzuZ0AlO
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025
But shortly afterward, Simone appeared to walk back the tone of her message in a more measured post on social media.
“I’ve always believed competitive equity and inclusivity are both essential in sport… The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for,” she wrote.
I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport. The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me…
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 10, 2025
As the public reckons with the layers of personal pain, activism, and athletic legacy now intertwined in this unfolding feud, one thing is clear: the conversation around fairness, inclusion, and respect in women’s sports is far from over. While Mykayla’s revelations and Simone’s responses continue to divide opinion, they’ve also exposed deeper tensions within elite athletics that won’t be resolved by a single post or interview.
