US gymnast Simon Biles spoke about her mental problems in an interview. She suggested that the sexual abuse by former team doctor Larry Nassar could be the reason for this.
In a TV interview, gymnastics superstar Simone Biles did not rule out the previous sexual abuse by a team doctor as the reason for her mental problems at the Olympic Games. “Now that I think about it, maybe in the back of my mind, probably because there are certain triggers,” said the 24-year-old American in the interview on Wednesday. “You don’t even know, but I think it could be,” said Biles dem US-Sender Today.
Because of the mental problems, she had abandoned her competition in the all-around final with the team after only one device. Biles had also done without the individual final in the all-around competition and three equipment fights. The four-time Olympic champion of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro competed again for the medal decision on the balance beam and won bronze.
Simon Biles: I’m proud of myself
Despite the mental problems, the athlete was grateful for participating in the games. “I’m proud of the way I got through and even learned the exit that I haven’t done in years,” she said. “I didn’t expect to win a medal or anything, I just wanted to go out there and do it for myself.”
Biles wrote on Instagram that she will “forever cherish this unique Olympic experience. Thanks to everyone for their endless love and support. I am really grateful.” Leaving Tokyo with two more Olympic medals “to complete my collection is not too bad! Seven-time Olympic medalist,” she continued. The four-time Olympic champion from Rio won not only bronze but also silver with the team in the all-around competition in Japan. She won bronze on the balance beam in 2016 as well.
Biles was one of the victims of team doctor Nassar
Biles was one of the hundreds of gymnasts and their parents who had sued the former American gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. Since the summer of 2017, he had been sentenced to prison terms of up to 175 years in a total of three judgments for his criminal attacks against minors. He pleaded guilty to sexually abusing several girls in the trials.
In January 2018, Biles wrote in a long tweet on Twitter that she was one of the women who had been sexually abused. “I’m no longer afraid to tell my story,” she wrote.
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