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Former U.S. gymnast MyKayla Skinner first criticized the Paris-bound women’s team’s talent depth and work ethic, then said her remarks had been misunderstood and later apologized. Simone Biles posted two comments that were widely read as responses, though her July 31 caption did not name Skinner.
What Skinner said about the Olympic team
After the U.S. women’s team was selected on June 30, 2024, Skinner criticized the group in a YouTube video that was later deleted. TIME quoted her saying, “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and depth isn’t what it used to be,” and, “The girls just don’t have the work ethic.” She also said gymnasts needed to be “a little aggressive and a little intense.”
Those remarks referred to a team that would compete at the Paris Olympics: Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Hezly Rivera. The video is no longer available, so the quotations here are as reported by TIME, rather than a direct review of the original recording.
Why Skinner said she had been misunderstood
In an Instagram Story on July 3, Skinner said viewers had “misinterpreted or misunderstood” what she meant. Entertainment Tonight reported her wording: “I feel like a lot of you guys had misinterpreted or misunderstood exactly what I was meaning or had said.”
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Skinner said some of her comments were not necessarily about the current team, which she said she loved and supported. She framed her point as a comparison between the work ethic at her own gym and the era in which she trained. The Story expired; its wording is preserved in contemporaneous news coverage.
Skinner’s July 6 apology and the coaching-era context
On July 6, Skinner apologized to Team USA and the gymnastics community, saying she took responsibility for her comments. She described them as a comparison between the “Marta Era” and the current era. She also said she had not fully dealt with emotional and verbal abuse she experienced under former national team coordinator Marta Karolyi.
Her comments about intensity landed amid a broader shift in U.S. gymnastics after the Larry Nassar abuse scandal and failures to protect athletes. TIME reported that investigations found USA Gymnastics officials had received complaints for years and failed to take appropriate action. That context helps explain why talk of coaching intensity drew scrutiny; it does not mean that all demanding coaching is prohibited by SafeSport rules.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Simone Biles posted, and when
On July 4, Biles posted, “Not everyone needs a mic and a platform,” as reported by TIME. She did not name Skinner in the post, but coverage widely understood it as a response to the controversy.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchAfter the U.S. team won gold in the Paris team final on July 30, Biles posted: “Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions.” The caption echoed the language at the center of the dispute and was widely reported as an apparent response to Skinner. Biles did not explicitly identify Skinner in that caption.
How Skinner and Biles were connected
Skinner and Biles had competed together at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Under the Tokyo team format, Skinner competed in an individual spot. After Biles withdrew from the team competition and the vault and floor finals, Skinner competed in the vault final and won silver. That history establishes their connection, but it does not establish Skinner’s intent in her 2024 remarks.
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