Simone Biles

and

MyKayla Skinner

shared a history that predated the now-retired gymnast’s controversial remarks about Team USA’s work ethic. In a

since-deleted YouTube video

from late last month, Skinner, 27, stated, “Besides Simone, I feel the talent and depth just aren’t what they used to be. I mean, obviously, a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic.” She further attributed this perceived decline in part to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, an organization addressing sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movement, which she believed hindered coaches from pushing athletes to their full potential.

Skinner, an Olympic silver medalist, later apologized for her statements, claiming she had been “misinterpreted” and “misunderstood,” and clarified that she “wasn’t always necessarily [talking] about the current team.” However, her comments sparked responses from several gymnasts, including Biles, who will represent Team USA at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics in July. Biles appeared to address her former teammate’s remarks, stating, “Not everyone needs a mic and a platform.”

Biles was among the many gymnasts who bravely testified against

Larry Nassar

, a disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor convicted of first-degree sexual assault. Over 250 gymnasts accused Nassar of sexual abuse disguised as medical treatment, leading to the establishment of the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

Skinner retired from gymnastics in August 2021, following the Tokyo Olympics, where she represented Team USA after Biles withdrew due to the “twisties.” Keep reading to learn more about the history between Skinner and Biles:

March 2015

Skinner finished second behind Biles at the 2015 AT&T

American Cup

, held in Arlington, Texas.

August 2016

Skinner traveled to Rio as an alternate while Biles claimed her first Olympic gold medals.

July 2019

Skinner returned to elite-level competition at the

2019 U.S. Classic

, where she secured the second-highest vault score, once again behind Biles.

August 2019

The two gymnasts met again at the 2019 U.S. National Championships, where both Biles and Skinner qualified for the U.S. Women’s Senior National Team, as reported by

USA Gymnastics

.

September 2019

Skinner and Biles, along with teammates Grace McCallum, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey, represented the U.S. at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

June 2021

Biles, Skinner, McCallum, Carey, Chiles, and Lee were named to the U.S. Olympic Team following their impressive performances at the National Championships. Biles shared her excitement on

Instagram

, writing, “WE’RE GOING TO TOKYO 🎉. Such a surreal feeling. I can’t believe I made the Olympic team for a 2nd time & I’m beyond excited to represent Team USA. So so proud of everyone – this is just the beginning of the journey. thanks for all the endless support & love. I couldn’t ask for better support 🖤.”

July 2021

Team USA competed at the Tokyo Olympics, where Skinner replaced Biles in the vault final after Biles withdrew due to the “twisties.” Skinner went on to win the silver medal, while Biles shared a supportive message for her teammate on Instagram, stating, “So proud of this one. No one understands the hard work and dedication it takes to come back from collegiate gymnastics and make an Olympic team.” She further added, “You did the damn thing! Thanks for reminding us that grandmas can do it too!” referring to their status as the “oldest” gymnasts on the team at 24 years old.

Skinner responded to Biles’ post, commenting, “Don’t know what I would do without youuuu!!! Thanks sis.”

July 2024

Biles seemingly responded to Skinner’s controversial comments about Team USA’s work ethic, in which Skinner stated that “besides [Biles],” she felt the “talent and depth” of gymnasts “just isn’t what it used to be.” Biles took to Threads to write, “Not everyone needs a mic and a platform.” Skinner later clarified that her comments had been “misinterpreted” and “misunderstood,” reiterating that she “wasn’t always necessarily [talking] about the current team.”