Simone Biles appears to aim swipe at ex-Team USA teammate with brutal Instagram caption

Simone Biles, the US gymnastic sensation, led her team to striking gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and appeared to throw shade at a former teammate with a cheeky Instagram post .

Alongside powerhouses Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey, Biles dazzled on Tuesday, clinching the top slot for Team USA in style.

The American gymnasts outclassed their competition, snapping up the event with an impressive five-and-a-half point lead over Italy, which took silver. With a hefty collection of seven medals from previous Games, Biles has now become the most decorated US gymnast.

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She stands to pile up to four more medals onto her haul in Paris, kicking off with Tuesday's glittering victory.

Celebrating their triumph, Biles posted an Instagram pic featuring her proud squad with the Stars and Stripes, alongside a cheeky caption: "Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions."

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This appears to be a sly dig at MyKayla Skinner, former member of Team USA, who lambasted Simone and her teammates in the past for what Skinner described as a failing "work ethic". The 27-year-old Skinner, also part of the Tokyo squad, vented her frustrations in a now-erased YouTube clip, saying, "Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be. The girls just don't have the work ethic."

In her controversial take , Skinner also referenced the US Center for SafeSport, the initiative focused on combating sexual misconduct within US Olympic sports.

She commented: "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."

After controversy sparked from her statements, Biles quickly took to Threads saying: "Not everyone needs a mic and a platform". The fallout saw Lee, Chiles, and Carey unfollow Skinner on socials before she offered an apology.

In a statement, Skinner said: "I want to formally apologize to Team USA and to our gymnastic community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the gymnastics Olympic trials," admitting that her intention wasn't to offend.

She continued with a reflection on her past experience which may have shaped her views: "Reflecting on it, I realize I was comparing the Marta [Karolyi] era to now. I'm beginning to understand that I haven't completely processed the emotional and verbal abuse I went through with Marta, which probably influenced my insensitive words. I fully own up to what I said and am truly sorry."

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