Sports
Simone Biles Was Called “Worthless” At Past Olympics Training Camp
“I felt like I kind of had to dim my personality,” she shared in her new Netflix docuseries.
Going into the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Simone Biles is sure to be on the must-see list for casual viewers and athletic aficionados alike. After a two-year break from competition, the most-decorated gymnast in history had a gilded performance at the world championships — and is poised to break even more records at this year’s games.
In short: Biles continues to be regarded as one of the greatest athletes in the world. But she didn’t always feel that way.
A Shocking Remark
In her new Netflix docuseries Simone Biles Rising, the gymnast recalls her early days participating in the sport — well before she became a household name.
As Biles explains in the docuseries (which premiered on July 17), training camps were usually held at Karolyi Ranch. Márta Károlyi, who was the team’s coordinator from 2001 through 2016, owned the facility with her husband and fellow coach, Béla Károlyi.
“Growing up in Márta’s era, I felt like I kind of had to dim my personality,” Biles says in the documentary — with teammate Aly Raisman describing it as an environment where it was “frowned upon” to laugh or be silly at practice. “It was a very Type-A environment where we wanted to be perfect.”
In the doc, Biles recalls one particularly hurtful remark made in pursuit of that perfection. “I remember not sticking a vault — just, like, taking the slightest step forward, and being told I was worthless to the team,” she says.
Looking Ahead
Though she didn’t identify the speaker by name, it’s clear that Biles’ team experience looks very different today.
“I feel like camp is a little bit more free-spirited. It’s not as strict as before,” she says in the doc.
Biles has also been open about prioritizing mental health following her withdrawal from the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“To stay grounded and relaxed, and to keep my head on straight, I try to do therapy almost every Thursday,” Biles told Bustle in December. “We’ll talk for about 100 minutes. I think that’s really helped keep me centered this year as I’ve been competing again.”
As part of its Team USA x Bustle 2024 Media Partnership, BDG is amplifying the stories of Team USA athletes, and aiding in the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee's mission of empowering America’s elite athletes through physical and mental health resources, funding, high performance support, training facilities, education and career coaching, and more. The USOPC is privately funded by the American public and Team USA sponsors. Learn more at TeamUSA.com and USOPC.org.
