Simone Biles was suspended from Gymnastics for the following reasons: 👇 Inappropriate behavior and a disastrous pace of play after a violent fight with an amateur player…more details below

Opinion, Analysis, Essays

Health & Technology
Critics of Simone Biles\’ withdrawing from Olympic events are cruel — and miss the point
Team USA isn\’t helped by an athlete risking injury. I learned that the hard way. In 1996, gymnast Kerri Strug won the Olympic gold medal despite suffering a serious ankle injury on her first attempt just moments earlier. Anyone who followed the Olympics likely saw that powerful moment, along with the overwhelming praise she received for overcoming adversity and winning gold for the United States. I see Kerry looking stoic, composed and hurt. Even though the crowd erupted in applause afterwards, I feel sympathy for the athlete who put his team before his own health. And I feel for Simone Biles, who put her health ahead of her team.

Critics want to label Biles, who announced Saturday that she will miss at least two individual events after withdrawing from the team and all-around, as a quitter. They accused her of being a “disgrace to the nation” and claimed she should no longer be able to compete in USA Gymnastics competitions. Comments like these are not only intended to undermine one’s efforts, but they also perpetuate a win-at-all-costs mentality that pushes people beyond their limits. As a marathoner, I have seen runners push themselves to their limits even at a recreational level, even when there is no Olympic medal at stake. In fact, I did exactly that. The result was that it robbed me of my love for the sport that I once found cathartic and escapist. While I’m not an elite athlete and never will be, I now know that no one does themselves a favor by risking injury. In November 2019, I ran the Philadelphia Marathon after months of grueling training and exactly one month after twisting my ankle on uneven pavement. It was my second marathon, and my physiotherapist told me to run a 26.2 miles, but I was tired of additional training with low injuries mentioned in weakness. I ignored what I made.