Back in March 2023, Simone Biles had dinner with coach Cecile Landi at a Mexican restaurant. That’s when the gymnast expressed her desire to return to gymnastics training. Following that talk over margaritas, Simone Biles girded up to make a comeback. With her astonishing performances at the 2023 US Core Hydration Classic, the 2023 Xfinity Gymnastics Championships, and the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Belgium, she marked her return to her beloved arena with an incredible winning spree.

However, this wasn’t the case two years ago when Simone Biles was in Japan and participating in the Tokyo Olympics. Biles found herself stuck with twisties during her Olympic run which forced her to withdraw. However, following her decision to prioritize mental health over vocation, Biles became a subject of scrutiny. Addressing the same in this Olympic year, Biles made a bold statement and called out her critics.

Simone Biles roars out against uninvited critics

Simone Biles recently appeared in an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair. The 6x all-around world champion had a chat about several topics during the interview when the pin dropped on her Tokyo forfeit. Most importantly, the aftermath of her forfeit in terms of the reactions she received from the public.

Speaking about it, Simone Biles said, “Of course, you have all the a**holes that are like, ‘You’re a quitter’… and they just ran with that.” While the US gymnast received staunch support from her fans as well, the hurtful comments still got through her skin. She also revealed that she was tempted to just let go of her self-control and give the crowds a piece of her mind.

However, Simone Biles decided against it and chose to cater to her mental well-being at the time. Applauding this, many people named her a harbinger of mental health awareness. Surprisingly, however, this was also something Biles didn’t like.

Biles gets real on being called the mental health proponent 

Biles’ decision to withdraw from the Olympics was met with harsh criticism. So much so, that she was blamed for sabotaging America’s medal-winning chances and for abandoning her nation. On the other hand, however, she was seen as a mental health proponent. Simone Biles said that both experiences equally irked her.

While one of them put her on a pedestal, the other threw her down from it. Speaking about this, Simone Biles said, “I was not okay with that. If I can be a lending hand and help people, then I’ll be open, honest, and vulnerable… but you cannot stick me in front of a crowd and say, ‘Do everything she’s doing.’” 

ALSO READ – “I Had Just Broken Up”: Simone Biles Was Not Ready to Date Anyone Before Husband Jonathan Owens

Fortunately, that phase is behind her now and she is back to winning world championship gold. As the Olympics stand just 6 months away, she is looking forward to winning more Olympic golds and landing a final blow to her critics.

WATCH STORY – Simone Biles Shows Off Her Support For Jonathan Owens In A Customized Outfit