Retired Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner faced backlash following her critical remarks about the current Team USA gymnasts, and has since issued an apology through social media.
- July 6, 2024
AceShowbiz - MyKayla Skinner, a retired Olympic gymnast, found herself at the center of controversy after comments she made about the current state of Team USA gymnastics in a since-deleted YouTube video drew criticism. Addressing the backlash, Skinner posted a video on her Instagram Story on July 3 to offer her apologies and clarify her statements.
"I feel like a lot of you guys had misinterpreted or misunderstood exactly what I was meaning or had said," Skinner explained. "A lot of the stuff that I was talking about wasn't always necessarily about the current team, because I love and support all the girls that made it and I'm so proud of them."
Skinner further elaborated that her comments were more reflective of her own experiences in her gym. While she acknowledged the differences in work ethics compared to when she trained under former national team coordinator Marta Karolyi, she was quick to note, "I'm not sticking up for Marta or saying what she did was good, I'm just saying it was different."
Skinner emphasized that she did not intend to hurt anyone's feelings or undermine the current gymnasts, "Sorry for anything that got out of context or seemed hurtful."
In her previous YouTube video, Skinner expressed her opinions on the new era of gymnasts, stating, "Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be." She attributed some of these changes to the implementation of SafeSport guidelines, which were put in place to prevent abuse in athletics.
"The girls just don't have the work ethic," Skinner said, adding, "And it's hard too because of SafeSport. Like, coaches can't get on athletes and they have to be really careful what they say. Which, in some ways is really good, but at the same time, to get to where you need to be in gymnastics you do have to be, I feel like, a little aggressive and a little intense."
The backlash on social media was swift, with many users and even gymnasts, such as Simone Biles, appearing to weigh in on the matter. On Threads, Biles posted, "not everyone needs a mic and a platform," a statement many interpreted as a response to Skinner's remarks.
In retrospect, Skinner concluded her apology by reaffirming her support for the current gymnasts, "I love those girls and I'm seriously so happy for them. I would never do anything to make them feel otherwise. So, sorry if that came out wrong, that was not my intentions at all."
