USA Gymnastics president apologizes to Simone Biles for anonymous “gold medal token” comment

USA Gymnastics CEO & President Li Li Leung has apologized to Simone Biles for an unknown team insider calling her “gold medal token” during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The comment made two years ago had a severe effect on Biles’ mental health, leading her to take a break.

After a long break from professional gymnastics, Simone Biles made a strong comeback at the 2023 US Classic on August 5. Impressively, the gymnast achieved three gold medals and a bronze at the event. Celebrating her win, when Biles interacted with the media, she revealed an incident that took a toll on her mental health right during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Biles revealed that amidst the pressure of performing in Tokyo, someone from within the USA Gymnastics team told her that she was their “gold medal token.” The comment became an added pressure on Biles, making her overwhelmed. Moreover, it also contributed to making her experience twisties right when she was performing.

Biles’ experience directly puts questions on the environment the USA Gymnastics team has for its athletes. When USAG CEO & President Li Li Leung was asked about it in an interview with USA Today, she revealed that it was highly disappointing to learn about the seven-time Olympian’s experience with the anonymous organization member.

Leung stated that they did not know the person who said that to the gymnast and were not sure if he/she was working with them anymore.

However, Leung stated that USA Gymnastics does not tolerate any disrespect towards its athletes. Lastly, she added that she has apologized to Simone Biles for her hurtful experience,

“I apologize to Simone that she had to endure that kind of treatment while on-site in Tokyo,” she told to USA Today.

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“We're not just entertainment”- Simone Biles on mental health wellness of athletes

Biles at 2023 U.S. Classic

After the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles gave an interview on a panel with other Team USA gymnasts. She stressed the importance of the mental health wellness of athletes. The gymnast said:

"At the end of the day, we're not just entertainment, we're humans and there are things going on behind the scenes that we're also trying to juggle as well on top of sports." (via NBC's TODAY Show)

Biles expressed that the topic of mental health should be discussed more often for athletes. She explained that they are frequently asked to push through their mental barriers but stressed that a better solution would be to just talk about it.