MyKayla Skinner Under Fire for Controversial Comments on Olympic Gymnastics Team

McKayla Skinner is facing continued criticism for remarks that critics say helped cover for abuses suffered by U.S. Olympic athletes.

Skinner, who won a silver medal after stepping in for Simone Biles at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, called out this year's U.S. gymnastics team in a since-deleted video. In the remarks, Skinner took aim at the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a non-profit organization that targets abuse in athletics.

"The girls just don't have the work ethic," Skinner said, via E! News . "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."

Skinner later issued an apology amid intense backlash, saying she did not intend to hurt this year's Olympians.

"Sorry for anything that got out of context or seemed hurtful," Skinner said. "Throughout the video, I was so pumped for the girls and it was so fun watching trials and doing a live with everybody.”

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But many still criticized the heart of Skinner's comments. Rachel Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Michigan State and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual assault, said Skinner's comments were defending an abusive system.

"This is precisely why continued education is desperately needed," Denhollander wrote in a post on X . "When an athlete reminisces about one of the most abusive coaches in gymnastics history, suggesting her abusive model was necessary for work ethic, we have a problem."

Vanessa Alter, the 1997 U.S. national all-around champion and 1998 Goodwill Games gold medalist, also took issue with Skinner's remarks. In a post on Instagram , Alter also accused Skinner of defending an abusive system and downplaying the accomplishments of the team's athletes.

"Not as hard working as they used to be?? Are we kidding?" Alter wrote. "We have 4 athletes that were on the last Olympic team. Do you know how difficult it is to make a comeback! These athletes are legends and deservingly so! And one young athlete who has done the work to earn that spot."