Former U.S. Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner has accused her Tokyo 2020 teammate Simone Biles of years of bullying and belittlement, breaking her silence following Biles' recent controversy with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines.

The allegations emerged after Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, called Gaines a "sore loser" for her stance opposing transgender athletes competing in women's sports.

Gaines gained prominence after competing against University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022.

In a statement to OAN, Skinner revealed she "endured being belittled, dismissed, and ostracised behind the scenes by Simone" throughout her career.

MyKayla Skinner has opened up on years of bullying from Simone Biles

The 28-year-old gymnast, who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics, said she remained silent "out of respect for the sport" but could no longer stay quiet after witnessing what she called "public shaming."

Biles had criticised Gaines on social media over the former University of Kentucky swimmer's opposition to transgender athletes competing in women's sports.

The dispute occurred as President Donald Trump signed an executive order addressing the controversial topic after beginning his second term.

The 28-year-old gymnastics icon eventually issued a lengthy apology to Gaines. However, the incident prompted Skinner to speak out about her own experiences with Biles.

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"As an athlete who has dedicated years to a sport, I've always believed that true competition should elevate us not diminish others," Skinner said in her statement. She called it "deeply troubling to see @Simone_Biles publicly label a fellow female athlete a 'sore loser' simply for expressing valid concerns about fairness in women's sports."

Skinner commended Gaines for her courage in speaking out: "I commend and appreciate @Riley_Gaines_for having the courage to speak up. Women like her are not only standing for fairness, but for the future of female athletics itself. She deserves support not ridicule."

The two-time NCAA champion elaborated on her allegations against Biles.

"Throughout my own career, I endured being belittled, dismissed, and ostracised behind the scenes by Simone. The pressure to stay silent was immense," she revealed.

Skinner emphasised that athletes like Gaines should not be "punished for standing up for fairness and biological reality." She drew a distinction between disagreement and bullying, stating, "It's one thing to disagree. It's another to use your platform to bully and demean."

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I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport. The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me…

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 10, 2025

Skinner explained her decision to break her silence after years of staying quiet.

"I kept quiet out of respect for the sport, for my teammates, and for the ideal of unity among athletes," she said.

"But witnessing this kind of public shaming, especially from someone in a position of influence, makes that silence no longer acceptable."

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She stressed the importance of supporting athletes who speak out on controversial issues.

"No one should be punished for standing up for fairness and biological reality. We should be lifting each other up not tearing one another down for speaking hard truths," Skinner concluded.

Gaines addressed the controversy during an appearance on FOX, responding to Biles' position and subsequent apology.

"She [Simone Biles] advocated for competitive equity," Gaines said.

Riley Gaines has been in an ongoing row with Simone Biles

The former NCAA swimmer drew a clear distinction between inclusion and competition in sports.

"Let me be clear here. Sports inherently by their true nature are inclusive. Anyone can play and everyone should play, in my opinion. But competition is exclusive," Gaines stated.

The debate over transgender athletes in women's sports has become a significant political issue. President Trump addressed the controversy by signing an executive order on the topic after assuming office for his second term.

The clash between Biles and Gaines has highlighted deep divisions within women's sports over fairness and inclusion policies.