Current:Home > NewsGymnast MyKayla Skinner Asks Simone Biles to Help End Cyberbullying After Olympic Team Drama -TradeBridge
Gymnast MyKayla Skinner Asks Simone Biles to Help End Cyberbullying After Olympic Team Drama
Charles H. Sloan View
Date:2025-04-10 06:27:15
MyKayla Skinner is issuing a heartfelt apology after making controversial comments about Team USA.
In fact, the Olympic gymnast revealed she and her family have received death threats and more brutal online harassment after she criticized Simone Biles and the rest of the 2024 Team USA women's gymnasts before the Paris Olympics.
"Things have really gotten out of hand lately," the 27-year-old shared in an Aug. 6 Instagram video. "It's one thing to disagree with me regarding something I have said or a point I was trying to make, but it's something else entirely when that turns into cyberbullying or, even worse, watching people cheer on the bullying, which has led to threats of physical harm to me, my husband and our daughter is disgusting. Please, at this point, I am just asking to just stop for the sake of my family."
Skinner—who shares 11-month-old daughter Charlotte with husband Jonas Harmer—also took accountability for "for poorly articulating the point I was trying to make" when she disparaged the female athletes' work ethic in a since-deleted YouTube video.
"The last thing I wanted was to cause harm or offend our U.S. Olympic team," she continued. "I know these women are incredible, the very best of the best and almost all of them are my former teammates, who I have enjoyed very much cheering on the last few years."
Skinner, a silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, also sent a message directly to Biles, who revealed last week that she was blocked by Skinner on Instagram amid the drama.
"Simone's latest post and others that followed it fueled another wave of hateful comments, DMs, articles and emails," she explained. "Hate that includes death threats to me my family and even my agent. My family and my friends don't deserve to be caught in the crossfire here. They've done nothing.
"So, to Simone," Skinner concluded, "I am asking you directly and publicly to please put a stop to this. Please ask your followers to stop."
Skinner's plea comes several days after Biles' 2024 Olympic teammates Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles seemingly called out Skinner on social media in support of Biles, who took home four medals during this year's summer games.
Now, keep reading to see the U.S. women’s gymnasts spring into action and land on gold at the 2024 Olympics.
She captioned her post with, "I love our country and don’t want to take anything away from our athletes. Let’s use this time to build each other up, not tear others down."
Skinner's plea comes several days after Biles' 2024 Olympic teammates Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles seemingly called out Skinner on social media in support of Biles, who took home four medals during this year's summer games.
Now, keep reading to see the U.S. women’s gymnasts spring into action and land on gold at the 2024 Olympics.
Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Simone Biles, Jade Carey and Suni Lee celebrated after winning gold.
The Team USA gymnasts had some fun with their medals on the podium after winning the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team Final.
Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles waved the national flag around the arena to celebrate their win.
The team was all smiles after hearing they had won the gold.
Biles looked confident as she performed her floor routine.
Lee shined during her uneven bars routine.
Biles reacts after finishing her routine on the uneven bars.
Chiles and Biles enjoyed a sweet moment together during the competition.
Biles soared during the vault competition.
Chiles had the best reaction after finishing her routine on the uneven bars.
After falling during her floor routine at qualifiers, Carey returned to the arena for the team finals, where she dominated the vault competition.
Lee delivered a jaw-dropping floor routine for Team USA.
It was another strong performance from Biles on the uneven bars.
After completing her incredible floor routine, Chiles broke down in tears.
Biles hit the balance beam in style.
Jordan Chiles fell while competing on the balance beam, but battled back to finish her routine.
The Olympian's husband Jonathan Owens, who took a break from NFL training camp to fly to Paris, and mom Nellie Biles cheered her on in the crowd.
(E!, NBC and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family)
Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics daily on NBC and Peacock until the summer games end with the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.veryGood! (645)
Related
- The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
- What losing Build Back Better means for climate change
- Pete Davidson and Chase Sui Wonders Enjoy an Eggs-Cellent Visit to Martha Stewart's Farm
- Amazon birds are shrinking as the climate warms, prompting warning from scientists
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Carbon trading gets a green light from the U.N., and Brazil hopes to earn billions
- Kristen Stewart’s Birthday Tribute From Fiancée Dylan Meyer Will Make You Believe in True Love
- A historic storm brings heavy rain, flooding and mud flows to Northern California
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- Love Is Blind's Micah Gives an Update on Her Friendship With Irina
Ranking
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- Their lands are oceans apart but are linked by rising, warming seas of climate change
- Despite climate change promises, governments plan to ramp up fossil fuel production
- Car ads in France will soon have to encourage more environmentally friendly travel
- Could your smelly farts help science?
- Gavin Rossdale's Daughter Daisy Lowe Welcomes First Baby
- Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: This $360 Backpack Is on Sale for $89 and It Comes in 6 Colors
- Hawaii remains under flood warnings as a 'kona low' storm continues to dump rain
Recommendation
McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
City trees are turning green early, prompting warnings about food and pollination
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Jen Shah Allegedly Owes Attorney $124,000 in Legal Fees
As Climate Summit Moves Ahead, The World's Biggest Polluters Are Behind
What were Tom Selleck's juicy final 'Blue Bloods' words in Reagan family
This Colorado 'solar garden' is literally a farm under solar panels
Who pays for climate change?
See What Ben Savage and the Rest of the Boy Meets World Cast Looks Like Now