What to Know about Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics: Absent from Opening Ceremony, Leg Issue, Public Criticism & More

The Paris Olympics have been in full swing for a few days now, and the superstar competitors have already begun dazzling crowds with their sports prowess. Among these talents is Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, who has gone viral for several reasons. From missing the opening ceremony to having a leg issue, find out why the 27-year-old is the name on everybody’s lips.

On July 26, hoards of athletes rode boats along Paris’ River Seine during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, Simone, along with some of the other members of the U.S.A. gymnastics team, was noticeably absent from the groups for a specific reason, which her doting mom, Nellie Biles, explained.

Speaking to “Today’s” Hoda Kotb, Nellie disclosed, “The first competition is Sunday, which is women’s qualifier, and, of course, she needs to rest up before that competition.”

When it came time for the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Qualification on day 2 of the Olympics, July 28, Simone faced adversity amid the competition. Footage taken at the event showed the young athlete sitting on the sidelines with the U.S.A. Gymnastics team doctor Marcia Faustin.

The two ladies disappeared for a brief moment, after which Simone returned with medical tape wrapped around her left leg. According to a news outlet, the gymnast had to get her leg taped due to tweaking her calf during her floor exercise warmup.

While the news outlet also reports that Simone was seen walking around the venue with a limp, she did not let it show once she got onto the competition floor.

Her grit and determination to continue despite being hurt juxtapose what happened three years ago at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics when she removed herself from final competitions to protect her well-being. This then prompted a wide-scale public discussion on mental health.

Upon hearing that Simone had suffered an injury during one of her warmups, many took to online platforms to assert their opinions, with most criticizing her. “Smart. This time, if she wants to quit, she can blame injury instead of nerves,” wrote an X user.

Another social media user remarked, “The Drama Queen. Pretends to get hurt and then wins in order to get all the attention and steal the spotlight.” Similarly, someone else echoed, “Staged.”

“It’s always something with her, she’s not injured she just wants attention,” asserted an observer. Another person expressed, “Simone Biles hurt her leg today and is still leading in the standing. These people can’t do nothing with her.”

However, amid the flak, was a comment showing support for Simone, especially regarding her endurance and tenacity.

Alongside a gif from the Oscars, which showed Hollywood stars giving a standing ovation in reaction to something with the words “BRAVO!!!!” attached to the image, an admirer praised Simone.

They commended, “Me in my living room at 3AM watching Simone Biles smash her floor routine on a taped-up leg. #OlympicGames.”

Besides her leg injury, people have been buzzing about the fact that Simone, tweaked calf and all, not only managed to participate in her competition but also achieved an incredible milestone.

Video footage shared online shows Simone executing what is considered the “hardest vault in the world.” She hit a Yurchenko double pike, making her the first woman to do so at the Olympics. However, people still expressed concern for the gymnast upon seeing her perform with a wounded calf.

“Oh no, I hope she’s not injured because she’s limping a little,” commented an observer who saw the footage on YouTube. Another pointed out, “She hurt her foot or ankle… someone needs to ask her about it.”

Others focused their attention on how Simone’s hair looked. “She’s awesome but can someone fix her hair for her, please?!” said an Instagrammer. An X user jumped in with, “@Simone_Biles can we get a hair braid or something,” ending their message with an I-can’t-look face emoji.

One social media user who felt particularly strongly about Simone’s hair stated, “#SimoneBiles should have had an #FBA Beautician Do Her Hair In A Ballerina Style Updo/Bun, Or A Sleek Ponytail Before She Left For The #OlympicGames […] #Olympics […] #ParisOlympics #Paris #ParisOlympics2024 #Olympic2024.”

While many may have had a lot to say about Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics, their comments do not take away from the fact that the young gymnast managed to achieve an incredible milestone. She did not allow herself to be defeated by her tweaked calf and persevered for herself and her team.