Simone Biles’ Olympic Withdrawal Could Help Other Athletes Prioritize Mental Health | TIME

USA Gymnastics announced that Biles would withdraw from the individual all-around competition, as well, “in order to focus on her mental health.” Biles qualified for all four individual event finals—scheduled for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday—and USAG said she would be evaluated daily to determine whether she will compete in those.

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[zelilee]

She’s been hailed as the greatest of all time in her sport, that’s a nearly impossible feat to live up to... She has difficult moments too, everything she has accomplished in the past was surreal, it was absolute domination, we’re all allowed to take a break.

[anettkruus]

Hope she gets better. Suni has a good chance of potentaly winning imo.

[roseharvey]

Why are people saying mean things about Simone, unless you are winning medals you are worthless. Well Simone and many other girls were abused as young girls in the sport and if you cannot see that and so much more has effected her, you must be blinkered. Obviously, the Olympics are about Winning medals- it's not just the taking part., But Simone Bikes is an exceptional gymnast who has worked incredibly hard and achieved so much, but quite clearly everything has become too much. This can happen in Many careers and it's not fair to turn on her at such a difficult time.

[Sunflower_vally]

Okay for those of you saying she is a quitter, have you even tried gymnastics or a sport in general? Have you even have something to be proud about other than sitting on your ass and writing these awful things about simone? No? Didn't think so!

[alexhooper]

Im glad Simone withdrew, placing her mental health before winning however i question why it wasn’t done earlier. Let’s be honest here, she wasn’t performing up to par throughout the olympic trials and even just before that too. This was clearly effecting her back then. It showed in her face and her performance. I admire Simone and have a great deal of respect for her as a remarkable human being and excellence in her gymnastics. What I’m disappointed with is why she left it so long to pull out. If it was effecting her back before the olympics i wish she had made that decision earlier and allowed another gymnast the opportunity to fulfil their own olympic dream. Simone has achieved so much already and yet gymnasts have such a short period of time to make those dreams come true. Now someone else has missed out, someone who may not make another three years in the waiting. I feel bad for someone missing that spot when it was very obvious her mental health was effecting her for quite some time prior to being selected for the olympics. I wish her well, i suffer from depression long term too so i do empathise with her. She has had such enormous amount of pressure on her, and being mis treated by the gymnastics federation for not grading her skills to reflect her magnificence. No wonder she broke down. No one could bear that alone. Im glad she wasn’t forced to compete, I definitely think Marta would have made her so times are changing for the better. Not only that, Simone, like the other victims are still waiting for other people to be held accountable for their actions in covering up the abuse too. When will they receive their punishment. Simone is angry and frustrated about why that is still taking so long. Gymnasts should all protest and refuse to compete and participate until everyone is held accountable.

[AlexSiliconValley]

I think they call it “Team USA” and NOT “Simone biles USA” maybe the team captain should be the coach and not a contestant. These are humans and NOT animals like lions that have a male lion at the head of the pack. The team captain should not have so much power as to be able to Sabatoge the entire team. And maybe there should be a backup captain too. In any case these Olympian’s should have a mental evaluation to prove they are capable of such a responsibility. Olympian’s from other nations have allot of pressure on them to WIN and are shun in there own nations when they don’t WIN. Its NOT just Simone its the entire Olympic system. These participants have allot of pressure not just to represent but to WIN. And I think America should take the rains and point this out to other nations that is NOT about WINNING but celebrating human ability to be your best. Its NOT just about humans but the machines and devices we are building and testing. These devices we test in the olympics are to help humans perform their best. Biles should be ban from the Sport, She is unstable. She needs to take care of her medical condition. The Olympics should not be allowed to be a Stage for people who want to make a political statement or MONEY making stunt.
What if Biles is BLM and just wanted to stick it to the Western Society Olympics ?

[thatsharshman.]

I thought they had to go through a mental health evaluation, that's why there are considered the best physically and mentally, glad it was the Olympics and not space.

[ganesha]

Conspiracy Theory regarding Simone Biles
1. Simone faked a bumped vault because she doesn't want to represent her country, she often said, failed her because of the Larry Nasser tragedy and that US authorities haven't done enough to protect female gymnasts. That's why she kept saying that the silver medal was the effort of her teammates, not her.
2. She's not competing in the individual all-around as to give her teammates, the ones that stood by her side, the opportunity to shine in this special spotlight. She doesn't have to prove anything anymore on this level.
3. She will compete in the individual events to have the opportunity to attach her name to two routines; one on vault and one on the balance beam. She will not compete on the floor routine to give her BF Jordan Chiles the opportunity to medal on an individual event, which is Floor.
Let's see how this will work out.

[Wittgensteinien]

She's a PrimaDonna that failed her teammates because she choked. She's no "GOAT" Michael Jordan scored game winning points in the clutch many times. Diva athletes are taking advantage of "mental health" because the public let's them get away with it.

[CallMeMicahT]

Why would you train for all these years just to quit when people have made historic moments while hurt and under incredible mental strain?

[maydayZZ]

Good for her, just focus on you girl...some of yall gross, sorry.

[CharloiRO]

Stress equals THE CENTURYs DISEASE IN MODERN ECONOMIES

[boyasia]

Sportsmanship is the name of the game and not prestige, nor honor to oneself for fruit of sportmanship is gold of any sport, the fulfillment of training and ambition, and ultimately the honor to represent one's country and flag..my thoughts only.

[seamusmccracken]

Why not put Tamyra Mensa-Stock on the cover??? Time sucks just like the rest of the bought out media!

[briancockerham]

The issue with her mental health is nothing more than, her not being able to take Ritalin. Japan didn't give any exemption for it's use. I don't know why the media is trying to flip this thing around but simone has always used that thing (therapeutically exempted DOPER).. it's probably the withdrawal that's screwing her up.

[chuckfinley]

This whole thing is starting to seem scripted.

[joeschmoe]

Too bad she didn't decide to take this break BEFORE taking the place of another athlete on the team 🙄

[ncsnyynscn]

In her words "This just shows how much of a strong competitor she is, rather than just battle through it". You just can't make this stuff up🤣

[BigDaddy-tifh]

Kerri Strug a real champion 🏆🏆🏆 Google it.

[househomeplus]

I blame her boyfriend....she never had mental issues until he showed up