Simone Biles and her teammates silenced many of their doubters in Paris. Mykayla Skinner was one of those who had expressed her reservations about the team headed to Paris. Skinner faced severe backlash when she made controversial comments in July about the team’s lack of talent and work ethic and had to apologize. But after their gold medal start in the women’s all-around, Biles threw shade at Skinner and it has led to more trouble for the Tokyo silver medalist.

Last week, Simone Biles reignited the debate over Skinner’s comments when she celebrated her team’s gold medal win at the 2024 Olympics with a post on Instagram with the caption, “Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions ❤️🥇🇺🇸.” Biles and her teammates—Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera—were pictured holding the American flag after their victory in the women’s gymnastics all-around team final.

But following this post, Skinner has claimed that she is facing cyberbullying and “unfortunately things have really gotten out of hand lately.” Taking to her Instagram on Tuesday, Skinner posted a video and said “It’s one thing to disagree with me regarding something I’ve said or a point I was trying to make, but it’s something else entirely when that turns into cyber bullying or even worse.”

During the US gymnastics trials, Skinner live-streamed a two-hour YouTube watch party. As the trials concluded, she didn’t sound hopeful about the women’s team except for Biles. She said, “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t what it used to be. Just notice like, I mean, obviously a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic.”

She also mentioned how coaches “cannot get on” athletes and have to be careful, bringing up the Safe Sport policy. This created a maelstrom since there had been vocal protests about the infamous coaching methods of US gymnastics coach Marta Karolyi. Even though she tried to clarify her comments and deleted the video, the anger hasn’t subsided.

Talking further in the video, Skinner revealed how Biles’ jibe led to more backlash for her. “If Simone truly believes that I called our team lazy and lacking talent, and if that’s really how she feels, I am really heartbroken over it, but not just heartbroken because it isn’t how I feel or even what I previously said, but heartbroken because Simone’s latest 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.”

In an emotional appeal, MyKayla Skinner has urgently requested Simone Biles to intervene and halt the wave of hate directed at her and her family. “So, to Simone, I am asking you to directly and publicly to please put a stop to this. 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.” Notably, after her comments about the US women’s gymnastics team, Skinner had apologized.

In a July 3, Instagram story video, she said, “Sorry for anything that got out of context or seemed hurtful. Throughout the video, I was so pumped for the girls and it was so fun watching trials and doing a live with everybody.” She also clarified that her comments didn’t mean she was supporting Márta’s coaching methods adding, “And I’m not sticking up for Márta or saying what she did was good, I’m just saying it was different.”

However, with Biles reigniting the controversy, Skinner is going through a hard time dealing with bullying online. Hence, her appeal to Biles makes sense, but will the most decorated American gymnast pay heed? Well, there is another twist in the tale.

Skinner has allegedly blocked Simone Biles on social media

It seems Biles got under Skinner’s skin following her gold medal celebration post. Biles’ teammate Jordan Chiles shared an Instagram story of Skinner’s IG page appearing blocked for Biles with the caption, “When she blocks Simone.”

Chiles’ story followed the tweet from America’s most decorated gymnast on July 31, hinting at the same thing. Biles posted on X, “oop I’ve been blocked.” 

As this saga unfolds, Skinner’s claims of cyberbullying and facing death threats do paint a rather horrifying picture. While Skinner may have been out of line with her comments about lack of talent, proven wrong by Team USA’s achievements in Paris, online hate and abuse is uncalled for. It remains to be seen will Biles come out and respond to Skinner’s plea.