MyKayla Skinner is pleading with Simone Biles to urge her followers to cease the online bullying and death threats directed at the former USA Gymnastics star amid their escalating feud.
‘I sincerely hoped that this topic wouldn’t have to be revisited, but unfortunately things have really gotten out of hand lately,’ an emotional Skinner said on Instagram Tuesday, while claiming that she and her family has been the subject of death threats.
‘So, to Simone, I am asking you directly and publicly to please put a stop to this,’ Skinner went on to say.
Skinner sparked fierce backlash after recently questioning the current American gymnastics squad’s dedication – comments that resurfaced following a cryptic social media post from Biles: ‘lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions.’
Since then, Skinner says, she and her family have been targeted by cyber bullies.
Skinner ignited the online dispute by sharing her thoughts on the women’s USA Gymnastics squad in a YouTube video before the Paris Games.
Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be,’ the 27-year-old said on YouTube, only to later apologize for the remark.
Now, though, Skinner claims it is she, her husband, her daughter, and even her agent who are being bullied online.
‘Why I’m here is because four weeks ago, I made a comment about work ethic and what seems to be taking place with the rising generation,’ Skinner said at the top of her Instagram video.
To be totally clear, I take 100 percent for poorly articulating the point I was trying to make,’ she continued. ‘The last thing I wanted was to cause harm or offend our US Olympic Team. 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.’
‘I posted a video apology on Instagram and I followed up with a written apology and I sent individual messages to each of the women on the team,’ Skinner said. ‘Only Simone had responded, and she told me that she was proud of me.
You guys can imagine my surprise last week when I was celebrating our team winning gold, just to see this all brought up all over again by a caption on an Instagram post.
‘If Simone truly believes that I called our team lazy and lacking talent and that’s how she really feels, I am really heartbroken over it. But not just heartbroken because it isn’t how I feel… but heartbroken because Simone’s latest [social media] post and others that followed it fueled another wave of hateful comments, DMs, articles and emails – 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, I am asking you directly and publicly to please put a stop to this,’ she concluded. ‘Please ask your followers to stop.
‘You have been an incredible champion for mental health awareness, and a lot of people need your help now. We’ve been hurt and attacked in ways that I am certain you never intended. Your performance, the team’s performance and the Olympics in general should be a time when we support one another and lift each other and our country up. I love our country and I love our team and I hope we can move on and move forward and cheer on the rest of our teammates and our athletes together.’
Biles’ fans wasted no time in mocking Skinner after the gymnastics legend made yet more history with another gold on Thursday.
‘Mykayla Skinner could NEVER,’ one wrote. ‘Wondering what Mykayla Skinner has to say now,’ another added.
‘What a lazy and untalented performance @Simone_Biles @sunisalee,’ a third added – tagging Skinner in the post.
Biles’ USA teammate Suni Lee picked up a bronze medal after a sensational effort on the floor, with Brazil’s Rebecca Andrade taking silver.
‘Haters will say she’s lazy and just not as talented as they used to be,’ a third fan joked, while another suggested Skinner’s comments actually fueled the US stars’ success on Thursday.
‘Shout out Mykayla Skinner because she lit a fire under Simone and Suni today,’ they wrote.
Biles recovered from a rare error on the uneven bars to secure the ninth medal of her Olympic career.
The 27-year-old bounced back with standout performances on the beam and floor to see off competition from Andrade and enhance her legacy as USA’s all-time great.
