Former Team USA Gymnast MyKayla Skinner Backs Riley Gaines, Against Simone Biles, in Will Cain Interview

Team USA gymnast Simone Biles faces accusations of belittling her former teammate MyKayla Skinner after Skinner spoke out in defense of fairness in women’s sports, a stance Skinner claims aligns with a pattern of hostility long displayed by Biles.

READ: Hollywood Star Calls Riley Gaines 'A Hero' After Simone Biles Spat

Despite their shared history on Team USA, including the 2014 World Championships, 2016 Rio Olympics, and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Skinner addressed Biles’ actions following an online dispute Biles initiated against OutKick host and women’s rights advocate Riley Gaines. 

TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 22: Mykayla Skinner and Simone Biles of Team United States pose for a photo during Women's Podium Training ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on July 22, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Biles sought to undermine Gaines’ platform, which advocates for keeping men from women’s sports.

On Monday, Skinner appeared on "The Will Cain Show" to explain her decision to speak out. 

Will asked MyKayla, "This seemed to be a fight between Riley and Simone on a much bigger and broader issue, but you put your statement out there, and I’m curious, what was the impetus?" 

READ: Olympic Medalist MyKayla Skinner Says She Was 'Bullied' And 'Belittled' By Simone Biles, Applauds Riley Gaines

Skinner responded, "Well, throughout my career, there have been many times when I have been belittled and bullied by Simone and have wanted to keep quiet for the other athletes. And there have been multiple times through my Olympic journey and through camps, training, everything that we have gone through where she has come and belittled all of us. 

Riley Gaines speaks during an event hosted by UNLV's turning point chapter and the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute at the Carol C. Harter Classroom Building Complex at UNLV on Nov. 14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

"And I’ve wanted to stay silent through this because she has a huge platform." She emphasized the importance of Riley Gaines’ advocacy for women’s sports, not only for herself but also for future generations of female athletes."

As a celebrated Olympic gymnast and icon in women’s athletics, Biles used her platform to accuse Gaines of promoting hate by supporting policies that bar transgender athletes, born (and still) male, from competing against women. 

Following the controversy, Biles issued a ‘wooden’ apology to Gaines on social media, acknowledging that her comments were misguided and expressing regret for the personal attack.

READ: Simone Biles Apologizes For 'Personal' Attack On Riley Gaines, Adjusts Stance On Trans Athletes

Skinner publicly supported Gaines, urging others to champion fairness in women’s sports. She also revealed that Biles offered no support when Skinner reached out at various points in her career to discuss advocating for fairness and the online backlash she faced when others opposed her efforts to preserve women’s sports. 

TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 01: MyKayla Skinner of Team United States poses with the silver medal following the Women's Vault Final on day nine of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on August 01, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Cain pressed further, asking, "What type of behavior are you describing?" 

Skinner elaborated, "So one of the big incidents happened last year during the Olympic Games. I had multiple fans reach out that wanted me to go publicly live on a YouTube live and to make a YouTube video commentating Olympic trials… 

"And then during my short 15-minute YouTube video, they had taken a clip from it and twisted my words, and it had gone viral, and then the bullying had happened. Simone and I had had a conversation and thought things had died down. 

"More had started to play into it throughout the Olympic Games, and I was getting bullied. My publicist was also getting bullied, hateful threats, comments, and comments on my family and my daughter. And I had reached out to Simone personally and got no response, no response from the girls."

Cain followed up, asking, "What happened when you were teammates with Simone? Belittling behavior?" 

Skinner replied, "Multiple times throughout different moments in my career, and it has been very hard and very difficult, and this is why I’ve wanted to speak out. Obviously, with the Olympics going on, that was a major experience that I went through, and it was very difficult, and I want to continue to help cyberbullying come to an end."

Biles contends that she has been a proponent for fellow female athletes, though as more is revealed, the contrary seems apparent.

Watch the full clip here:

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela