Gymnast MyKayla Skinner Apologizes After Backlash Over Harsh Comments About Team USA

The retired gymnast, 27, sparked outrage and confusion during a two-hour watch party on YouTube, where she inserted herself into a hypothetical situation. Referring to the trials where three girls—Skye Blakely, Shilese Jones, and Kayla DiCello—suffered devastating injuries that ultimately prevented them from joining Team USA in Paris. Skinner suggested that if she were to come back, she “probably [w]ould’ve made that Olympic team.”

“Not saying anything to the girls that got injured, but if I could come back, I think I would be able to do it. And I think I probably could’ve made that Olympic team.”

“Besides Simone,” Skinner continued. “I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t what it used to be. I mean, obviously, a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic.”

Skinner even criticized SafeSport for limiting how tough coaches can be on athletes, suggesting that there are contributors on all levels to producing subpar participants and competitors in the sport. Seemingly in response to the outlandish comments made by her former teammate, the seven-time Olympic medalist posted on Threads, “not everyone needs a mic and a platform.”

Simone Biles, 27, is heading to the 2024 Paris Olympics after winning the all-around competition at the U.S. Gymnastics Trials in Minneapolis. Joining Biles on the women’s roster, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, and newcomer Hezly Rivera.

Gina Chiles, mother of Jordan Chiles posted on X, “Whoa. She really said that out loud and posted it. That’s something….”

To address the backlash, Skinner posted an apology on her Instagram Stories on July 3, stating, “Hey guys, just wanted to pop on here really quick because I know we did the recap on YouTube and I feel like a lot of you guys had misinterpreted or misunderstood exactly what I meant or said.”

“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. It was more about going back into my own gym and just the work ethic is different compared to when we were doing gymnastics in the Marta (Karolyi) era.”

She then added, “And I’m not sticking up for Márta or saying what she did was good…I’m just saying it was different. So anyway, sorry for anything that got out of context or seemed hurtful; that was never my intention and seriously, throughout the video.”

MyKayla was not initially selected to join the team after the U.S. Olympic Trials ahead of the Tokyo Games. However, she was later invited to participate in the individual rounds after Simone withdrew from events due to her experience with “twisties.”