"We have to protect our mind and our body" - When Simone Biles opened up about her decision to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics amid backlash

Simone Biles was tipped to dominate the gymnastics mats at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Having won five medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the American gymnast was expected to raise her medal tally by leaps and bounds.

However, despite qualifying for the finals of almost every event in women's artistic gymnastics at Tokyo 2020, Biles eventually withdrew midway from the finals of the women's team all-around, inviting backlash from fans around the world.

Later on, Simone Biles revealed that she was suffering from Twisties', a mental block where the gymnast suffers a brain fade mid-air during the performances, especially during the execution stage.

Except for the balance beam finals, Biles withdrew from other events and returned from the Tokyo Olympics with a silver medal (team all-around) and a bronze medal (balance beam). In a conversation with ESPN after the event, Simone Biles opened up on why she took the decision, saying:

"We also have to focus on ourselves, because at the end of the day we're human, too. So, we have to protect our mind and our body, rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do."

"I had to do what's right for me and not jeopardize my health and well-being," Biles further added. "So that's why I decided to kind of take a step back and let them do their work."

Despite Biles' withdrawal, the other American gymnasts, led by Sunisa 'Suni' Lee, propelled the USA to a respectable silver medal. Russia won the gold medal for the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union, while Great Britain won the bronze medal.

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When Simone Biles thought of quitting gymnastics before the Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles performing at the Tokyo Olympics [Image Source : Getty]

There was a time when Simone Biles had almost thought of quitting gymnastics altogether. In an interview with 'The Cut' magazine in 2021, Biles talked at length about why she almost thought of quitting the sport due to the mental toll she faced following the controversy around Larry Nassar.

“If you looked at everything I’ve gone through for the past seven years, I should have never made another Olympic team,” Biles said. “I should have quit way before Tokyo, when Larry Nassar was in the media for two years. It was too much. But I was not going to let him take something I’ve worked for since I was 6 years old. I wasn’t going to let him take that joy away from me. So I pushed past that for as long as my mind and my body would let me.”

In another interview with NESN conducted in September 2024, the 27-year-old gymnast mentioned how she never thought she would make a comeback.

"Just representing the United States, it's bittersweet because I never thought I would be back competing at the Olympic Games. But everything that I have gone through and the story that I get to share with the audience and with the fans not just on an Olympic stage but on our touring stage as well is truly a blessing." [1:00 onwards]

After a difficult period following her sudden withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles decided to seek help and went for therapy. The American gymnast was given full support by her colleagues and the administration. She bounced back at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning three gold medals and a silver to become the most decorated American gymnast of all time.