Simone Biles’s “done competing” statement was about beauty standards and online trolling—not a decision to quit gymnastics. In comments reported on February 12, 2020, she described how criticism of her body and appearance had affected her, and said she was no longer willing to compete against expectations that had nothing to do with her athletic performance.
What Simone Biles said about body shaming
ABC News/GMA and Shape reported Biles’s comments on February 12, 2020, in connection with SK-II’s #NOCOMPETITION campaign. The publications reproduced her statement; the original social post was not independently verified in the available reporting.
As ABC News/GMA reproduced it, Biles began: “Let’s talk about competition. I’m talking about beauty.” She described receiving comments about her arms, legs, body, and how she looked in different clothes, including a dress, leotard, bathing suit, or casual wear. She said that although she had learned to put on a strong front and let much of it slide, some remarks had gotten her down. ABC News/GMA’s report and Shape’s report reproduce the statement.
What “done competing” meant
Biles’s declaration was directed at beauty standards and what she called the toxic culture of trolling—not at gymnastics competition. ABC News/GMA reproduced her line: “Today, I say I am done competing VS. beauty standards and the toxic culture of trolling when others feel as though their expectations are not met.” The reports describe a refusal to measure herself against other people’s appearance expectations, not an announcement that she was retiring from sport.
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Why she shared the statement
Biles framed her words as support for herself and for people who had also faced appearance-based judgment. The point was that an athlete’s public visibility does not make comments about her body harmless or welcome. Her remarks addressed the gap between being known for athletic achievement and being scrutinized for how she looks in ordinary clothes as well as sportswear.
The campaign context
The statement was shared alongside SK-II’s #NOCOMPETITION campaign, which focused on beauty standards. That context explains why Biles used the language of competition; it does not establish that skincare products prevent or remedy body shaming.
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Further context
The Standard reported that Biles had also written about body-shaming experiences in her 2016 autobiography, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance. That offers optional background to her comments; the specific edition and current availability are not established here.
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