Simone Biles Withdrawing From the Team Final Sets a Powerful Example For Gymnasts Everywhere
Gymnasts learn how to "bail" out of their skills when they're in danger of injuring themselves — or sometimes they do so out of fear. But who's going to bail them out when they need a mental break from a sport with a longstanding culture of abuse and an impossible standard of perfection?
On July 27, Simone Biles withdrew from the women's artistic gymnastics team final after competing a watered-down version of her planned Amanar vault. Though USA Gymnastics initially cited her exit as being caused by a medical issue, Biles later revealed it was due to her mental health. She said she wasn't in the right place mentally to compete and wanted to avoid injury.