Simone Biles opened up about the pressure she was under following her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics. The gymnast made an appearance on the podcast Call Her Daddy by Alex Cooper, which is known to feature high-profile celebrities and include dating advice.
Biles withdrew from the team final at the 2021 Games due to the “twisties”, a phenomenon during which gymnasts lose spatial awareness midair. The 27-year-old took home a bronze medal. Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history and has been awarded 37 world and Olympic gold medals so far.
“America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,” she thought after withdrawing from the competition.
“If I could’ve gotten on a plane and flown home, I would’ve done it,” she added. “I thought I was going to be banned from America, ’cause that’s what they tell you: ‘Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back.’”
Biles’ participation in this summer’s Paris Olympics has yet to be confirmed. The gymnast recently made a comeback to competing last year after a 2-year hiatus. She is currently set to compete in the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, next month.
