Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner has recently found herself at the center of a social media feud with her former teammate Simone Biles. After controversial comments made by Skinner resurfaced in a post by Biles, Skinner has broken her silence and publicly addressed the cyberbullying and threats she has received as a result.
In a video message posted on her Instagram account, Skinner directly addresses Biles and asks her to put a stop to the cyberbullying that has been directed towards her and her family. She explains that the feud has gone too far and is now causing harm to her loved ones.
The feud between the two gymnasts started when Biles posted a celebratory message on social media after her team’s gold medal win at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. In the post, Biles used the words “lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions,” which many believed to be a direct reference to a comment made by Skinner in a now-deleted YouTube video.
Skinner had stepped in for Biles at the Tokyo Olympics after she withdrew due to the twisties, a dangerous condition that affects a gymnast’s ability to orient themselves in the air. In the video, Skinner had commented on what she perceived as a lack of talent and depth in the upcoming gymnastics fields.
Biles had responded to the remark at the time, and Skinner had apologized, stating that her words were misinterpreted or misunderstood. However, after Biles’ post last week, which was praised by Olympians around the world, including her gold medal-winning teammates, the controversy surrounding the video resurfaced. Skinner even went as far as to block Biles on social media.
But in her recent video message, Skinner takes full responsibility for her poorly articulated point and apologizes for any harm or offense caused to the US Olympic team. She explains that she has already apologized to each of the women on the team individually and posted a video apology on her Instagram account.
Skinner also clarifies that she has the utmost respect for her former teammates and has enjoyed cheering them on in the past few years. She expresses her surprise and disappointment when the issue was brought up again in Biles’ recent post, which led to a new wave of hateful comments and even death threats towards her and her family.
Skinner asks Biles to put a stop to the cyberbullying and asks her followers to do the same. She acknowledges Biles’ role as a champion for mental health awareness and urges her to use her platform to help stop the hate and negativity directed towards her and her family.
In conclusion, Skinner expresses her love for her country and her team and hopes that they can move on from this feud and support each other in the remaining events. She ends by saying that she hopes they can move forward together and cheer on their fellow athletes as a united team.
The Olympic Games are a time to celebrate the incredible achievements of athletes from all over the world. It is a time to come together and support each other, regardless of any past differences. The focus should be on the incredible talents and hard work of these athletes, not on creating unnecessary drama and negativity.
Let us remember the true spirit of the Olympics and use this opportunity to spread positivity and support for all athletes. Let us cheer on our teams and celebrate their successes, rather than tearing each other down. As MyKayla Skinner has shown, it takes courage to speak up and put an end to cyberbullying and hate. Let us follow her example and be kind to one another.
