

Former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner, 28, has accused her former teammate Simone Biles of harassment and exclusionary behavior during their time in elite gymnastics. The allegation comes just days after Biles publicly apologized to swimmer and activist Riley Gaines following a heated exchange about the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports.
In a recent interview with The Will Cain Show, Skinner claimed she was subjected to “belittling, exclusion, and degrading remarks” by Biles on multiple occasions during training camps and practices. “I’ve stayed quiet for a long time because she has such a huge platform, but it’s time to speak up,” said the Olympic medalist.
Her remarks reinforced a stance she had expressed days earlier on One America News, where she criticized Biles’ leadership and openly supported Riley Gaines.
Skinner stands by Riley Gaines and calls out Biles for ‘intolerance’
“As an athlete, I always believed competition should inspire us, not divide us. Simone called Riley a ‘sore loser’ for raising legitimate concerns about fairness in women’s sports. That’s not okay,” Skinner said. She also praised Gaines’ courage in speaking out against what she sees as an injustice toward women in sports.
Skinner claimed she endured a toxic atmosphere on the gymnastics team for years, where – according to her – Biles exerted pressure to silence any criticism. “I faced disdain and ostracism from Simone. I stayed silent out of respect for the sport and my teammates,” she added.
So far, representatives from Octagon – the agency that represents Biles – have not responded to requests for comment.
A dispute that rekindles past Olympic tensions
Biles and Skinner, who competed together at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, have clashed publicly on multiple occasions since then. In July, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Skinner criticized the current team’s work ethic. Biles responded with an Instagram post: “Lack of talent, laziness, Olympic champions,” seemingly mocking Skinner’s remarks.
Following the uproar, Skinner issued a public apology but reported receiving death threats, along with her family, as a result of the fallout.
Meanwhile, Simone Biles – an 11-time Olympic medalist – had responded to Riley Gaines’ criticism of a trans athlete on a school softball team by calling her “sick” and suggesting a separate category for transgender athletes. However, days later, she softened her stance in a post on X, advocating for “fair competition” and apologizing for her initial comments.
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