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Simone Biles says she was RIGHT to call out MyKayla Skinner in interview before her ex-teammate begged her to call off online trolls amid death threats
Simone Biles has defended her move to call out MyKayla Skinner at the Olympics, saying her actions show her USA teammates how to use their voice.
Biles was speaking to People on Tuesday, seemingly moments before Skinner took to social media saying she had received death threats off the back of Biles' remarks and pleaded for the gymnast to tell online trolls to stop targeting her.
Biles appeared to target Skinner after USA won gold in the team final last week, posting a photo of her group with the caption: 'Lack of talent, lazy Olympic champions' - in reference to criticism from Skinner before the Games began over the team's dedication.
'It's important because you have to teach them to use their voices,' Biles was quoted as saying. 'And if not, you're a voice for the voiceless, which is okay.
'I just felt like it was right in that moment to stand up for them, because they're so young and they haven't fully stood in their power yet.
Simone Biles said calling out MyKayla Skinner 'was right in that moment' at the Olympics
Skinner has since asked Biles to tell online trolls to stop after receiving death threats
'For somebody to stand up, I know it meant a lot for my teammates.'
An emotional Skinner took to Instagram on Tuesday, sharing a four-minute video explaining the impact of Biles' remarks about her.
'I sincerely hoped that this topic wouldn't have to be revisited, but unfortunately things have really gotten out of hand lately,' Skinner said. 'So, to Simone, I am asking you directly and publicly to please put a stop to this.
'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.
Simone Biles captioned her celebration post with a veiled shot at a former Team USA member
Simone Biles (L), Jordan Chiles (C), Jade Carey (2nd L), Sunisa Lee (2nd R) and Healy Rivera
'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.'
Biles has yet to respond to Skinner since her video was posted on Instagram.
After Biles' post on Instagram, the gymnast also revealed that she had been blocked by Skinner as well.
The 27-year-old won three Olympics golds and a silver medal in Paris, cementing her place as USA's most successful gymnast ever.