Simone Biles Doesn't Owe the Olympics Everything: Unchecked

Simone Biles taking care of herself is more important than her taking home the gold medal..

Simone Biles doesn’t owe anyone anything. She needs to take care of herself first. And her track record says a lot more than anyone saying she quit. 

Simone Biles confirmed that she is not physically injured, but her status for the rest of the Olympics remains in doubt: https://t.co/K3OBwwJoDe pic.twitter.com/ndUuYff5hy

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 27, 2021

In case a reminder was needed, Biles hasn’t lost a major competition since her debut in 2013, winning four Olympic golds and 19 World Championship medals along the way. This is why it was so jarring to see her withdraw from the team competition in Tokyo. 

US gymnast Simone Biles says she withdrew from the team finals over mental health concerns and that those competing are "not just athletes, we're people." https://t.co/lPK7yfP5JN

— CNN (@CNN) July 27, 2021

Biles seems like a superhero at times so to see her say she didn’t know where she was in the air lets you know that she knows she isn’t at the peak of her powers. So when she said she thought she was risking a medal for her team and that she needed to focus on her mental health, that needs to be taken seriously. 

Biles asked what's her goal for Olympics. "To focus on my well being. You know there's more to life than just gymnastics."

— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) July 27, 2021

At the same time, the reaction she is sure to receive from her decision is part of the pressure of being the biggest star of the Olympics, something she already admitted has gotten to her at times. 

Yesterday Simone Biles posted on Instagram: “I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard” pic.twitter.com/5LTMY8ObiV

— Inside Gymnastics (@InsideGym) July 27, 2021

And bowing out mid-competition isn’t exactly in line with what sports fans typically expect from one of the greats. Which makes this whole story a little more complex than just a simple take. 

Simone Biles: "I'm sorry. I love you guys, but you're gonna be just fine."

"You guys have trained your whole entire life for this, it's fine. I've been to an Olympics, I'll be fine. This is your first — you go out there and kick ass, okay?" pic.twitter.com/r2RxWQ2Dsy

— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) July 27, 2021

But ultimately, the thing that matters most isn’t whether Biles can return to win another gold, it’s that she’s ok. Because no matter what happens at these Olympics or how people feel about her pulling out of an event...she’s still the GOAT anyway.