After former teammate MyKayla Skinner criticized the 2024 Women's Gymnastics team's "talent" and "work ethic," Simone Biles knew she had to say something.
"For somebody to stand up, I know it meant a lot for [my teammates]," Biles, 27, explained to People on Tuesday, August 6.
As the "team lead" of Team USA's "Golden Girls" — the 2024 women's artistic gymnastics team made up of Biles, Jordan Chiles, 23, Suni Lee, 21, Jade Carey, 24, and Hezly Rivera, 16 — the 11-time Olympic medalist told the outlet that she "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."
"It's important because you have to teach them to use their voices," Biles added. "And if not, you're a voice for the voiceless, which is okay."
Skinner, 27 — who competed alongside Biles, Lee, Chiles and Carey, at the 2021 Tokyo Games — came under fire after claiming in a since-deleted YouTube video that, apart from Biles, "the talent and the depth [in gymnastics] just isn't like what it used to be."
"I mean, obviously a lot of girls don't work as hard," she said in the video, reacting to the gymnasts who made it to the 2024 Olympic team. "The girls just don't have the work ethic."
Biles, for her part, appeared to blatantly reference Skinner's commentary while celebrating her team's gold medal in the all-around final in Paris.
"Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions ❤️🥇🇺🇸," the GOAT — who won three gold medals and one silver at the 2024 Games — captioned the photo of her and her teammates running through the gym with the American flag on display.
Biles' teammates appreciated the clapback, to say the least.
"put a finger down if simone biles just ended you 🖐🏼," Lee commented.
"and that's on periodt!!" wrote Chiles.
"i'm so freaking proud of you," Rivera shared.
Even the official USA Gymnastics instagram account was here for the drama, responding with a series of "🤭🤭🤭" emojis.
Skinner, for her part, apologized for her comments — and later, in a separate video, asked Biles to "put a stop to the bullying" she's received from fans since.
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