When Rory McIlroy Showed Solidarity to Simone Biles After Her Controversial Olympic Withdrawal: ‘The Weight on Her Shoulders Is Massive’

Rory McIlroy is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland. The golf star is a member of two series as of now, the PGA Tour and the European Tour. McIlroy made a rare record in the sport by staying at the top position for 100 weeks.

Another important event outside of golf is the gymnastics in the Tokyo Olympics. A famous gymnast named Simone Biles withdrew from the team two days before the finals. The reason for her withdrawal is said to be due to concerns about her mental well-being.

The gymnast’s decision to give up just before the finals shocked everyone. However, Rory McIlroy had a different outlook on the situation. The golfer supported the gymnast’s decision by saying that she is ‘100% right’. Keep reading to know what else McIlroy had to say about the happening.

McIlroy understands the importance of mental health

In reaction to US Star Biles’ decision, McIlroy gave supportive statements after shooting a two-under-par 69 in the first round of the golf tournament at the Tokyo Olympics. He said, “I live in the United States, and anything that came on the TV, NBC, or commercials about the Olympics, it was Simone Biles — it was Simone Biles Olympics, right?”

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McIlroy showed immense support for Biles’ decision and said that mental health should be prioritized. He also talked about how Biles has a big responsibility attached to her by saying, “The weight on her shoulders is massive.”

Rory McIlroy talks about the willingness of athletes

McIlroy continued to talk about US Swimming Legend Michael Phelps and Biles and said that the athletes must receive enough space to talk about their mental health openly without any pressure. He also said that this would help the sport to receive a new and improved perspective in the future.

McIlroy wisely expressed about how it is important to go through these kinds of situations to reach the top. But he also asserted that when legends like Phelps and well-known gymnasts talk about their struggles and the motivational stories behind their success, then “it encourages more people” to come up and share their life with the world.

McIlroy also compared Biles to the famous Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, who recently played like a champion in the French Open this year, after she had shortly opened up about her depression and life struggles.

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