Former Gymnast Apologizes After Backlash To Video Criticizing 'Talent' Of U.S. Women's Gymnastics

It's nice to look back at our accomplishments with pride, though we might find it hard to accept that we won't experience those feelings again.

That can be tough to process, and it's tempting to look at others having their heyday and imagine how we might do things differently, or even better.

But those thoughts can get us into big trouble if we go public with them.

27-year-old former silver medal gymnast MyKayla Skinner, who competed in Tokyo on behalf of the U.S. Women's team, watched along with the rest of us as the 2024 Women's team prepared for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

But instead of anticipating what's to come, Skinner reminisced about the past during a 2024 Olympics recap.

"Besides Simone [Biles], I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't what it used to be."

"I just notice, you know obviously, a lot of the girls don't work as hard. The girls just don't have the work ethic."

"And some of the girls who fell twice and still ended up in second place in the all-around is just kind of crazy to me."

"[Since Russia won't be there], I feel like if we [the U.S. team] do a halfway decent job, we'll be fine, and that's it."

In another video, Skinner hinted at being able to do a better job than those on the team.

"I kind of wish I had made a comeback. Not saying anything to the girls who got injured, but I just feel like, if I could come back, I think I would be able to do it, and I think I probably could have made that Olympic team."

Viewers were furious about Skinner's take on the 2024 Olympics.

Even Simone Biles posted on Threads, which many took to be a response to Skinner's comments:

"Not everyone needs a mic and a platform."

Skinner quickly responded in a video, claiming her words were "misinterpreted."

“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. Just, the work ethic is different compared to when we were doing
gymnastics in the [former team coordinator] Márta [Károlyi] era.”

Skinner also posted an apology in text form, stating that she was supportive of the team.

"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. It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work. Your hard work and dedication has paid off, and I congratulate each and every one of you."

This could have been a conversation about how the sport has grown and changed over the years, and it's easy to see why viewers interpreted Skinner's comments as problematic, from her "except for Simone" comment to how she thought she could have made a comeback.

It's one thing to reminisce—quietly!—about the past, even to compare your hypothetical approach to someone else's. What Skinner said was perhaps best kept to herself.