"I feel like it's little bit sexist" - When Simone Biles opened up about being overlooked in G.O.A.T. debate over male athletes

Simone Biles once expressed dismay over not being considered among the greatest of all-time athletes such as Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. She is by far the most decorated gymnast in history with a combined 41 world and Olympic medals.

Biles made her senior career debut at the 2013 American Classic and has never failed to win the national title since. She won two gold medals on her World Championships debut and before making her Olympic debut three years later, the 27-year-old had amassed a staggering ten world titles.

The Texas native won an astonishing five medals including four golds at the 2016 Rio Olympics and added nine more world titles before her second Olympic appearance at the 2020 Tokyo Games. While she was already the second-most decorated gymnast in history before the Tokyo Olympics, it was Biles' sheer dominance spread nearly over a decade that made her stand out as a potential candidate in the GOAT conversation.

However, the American gymnast felt she and other female athletes were overlooked in the debate and termed it sexist behavior. Speaking in an interview with the Olympics.com in 2021, she said:

"Definitely doesn't bug me. I think the only thing that bugs me is when they don't include women, because then again, I feel like it's a little bit sexist because we worked so hard to put our marks in the sports that we've done so that in itself is kind of irritating."

However, Biles admitted to being considered the greatest gymnast of all time and said it was nice to hold the GOAT stamp in the sport.

"But other than that, I feel like maybe for gymnastics I am kind of one of them, or at least everybody says so. So, it does it is nice to have that stamp for gymnastics and to have that out there," Simone Biles added.

The 27-year-old became the oldest gymnast in 72 years to win the all-around Olympic title and now has a combined tally of 41 Olympic and world medals. She was ranked 7th in ESPN's greatest athletes of the 21st century while tennis legend Serena Williams was second. The pair were the only two female athletes among the top ten.

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"I don’t think I’ve realized just yet" - Simone Biles on her legacy after record-breaking comeback at the 2024 Paris

Chicago Bears v San Francisco 49ers - Simone Biles in attendance (Source: Getty)

Speaking in an interview with Sports Illustrated after being named the magazine's Sportsperson of the Year 2024, Simone Biles said she was yet to grasp the impact she had made in the sport.

"I don’t think the reality has set in of what I’ve exactly done in the sport. I can see it, and I hear it from people, and I see a glimpse of it, but the full magnitude I don’t think I’ve realized just yet. I don’t think I’ll realize ’til maybe I retire and look back in a couple years like, Damn, she was good. Because I can see that, but I do it every day. So for me, it’s normal," Simone Biles said.

The 27-year-old endured a tough campaign at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to twisties, winning zero gold medals for the first time at an international competition. She roared back to stamp her authority at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning four medals including three golds in the team, all-around and vault competitions.