Decorated gymnast Simone Biles took to the popular Call Her Daddy podcast this week to open up about her experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, revealing she thought she was going to be "banned from America" for her performance.

After Biles botched her vault routine due to a bout of the "twisties," she withdrew from the team final as well as the all-around final in order to focus on her mental health. She later reentered the competition to win bronze in the individual balance beam final.

In her interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, Biles admitted to feeling like she let the entire country down by failing her vault attempt.

"As soon as I landed I was like 'Oh, America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,'" she recalled thinking. "I was like, ‘Holy s---, what are they gonna say about me?'"

"I thought I was going to be banned from America," she continued. "That’s what they tell you: Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back."

Widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles has hinted at a desire to join her third Olympic team in Paris, though her participation won't be confirmed until after the gymnastics trials in late June. She holds over 30 medals from the Olympic Games and World Artistic Gymnastics Championships combined, and if qualified, would be a sure favorite heading into this summer’s games.

Former Olympic champion Gabby Douglas will return to gymnastics competition for the first time in nearly eight years.

Douglas announced on Tuesday on NBC News NOW that she will compete at the Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, on Feb. 24. The 28-year-old Douglas hasn’t competed since helping the U.S. Olympic team to gold in 2016.

Speaking to NBC News, Douglas said that she never walked away from the sport entirely. Instead, she went on an extended sabbatical and returned to training in 2022. Last summer, she announced she was going to try and make the 2024 Olympic team.

“I never announced a retirement,” Douglas told NBC. “I didn’t want to end this sport like I did in 2016. I wanted to take a step back and work on myself and my mental state.”

It’s stiff competition, with Olympic champions Simone Biles (2016) and Suni Lee (2020) also in the running. Biles won her record sixth world all-around title last fall after returning to competition last summer.

Douglas said that she didn’t want to end her career how it did in 2016 and walk away “on a bad day.”

“I’m still a competitor at heart,” Douglas said. “After watching the 2022 championships, I was like I miss competing. … I found myself in the gym, and I was like, all right, maybe I could do this again.”

If she is named to the 2024 team, Douglas will be the first American woman since Dominique Dawes to make three Olympic teams. And she could do so alongside Simone Biles, who is also eyeing her third Olympics.

The Telegraph published its list of most influential women in sports, with England goalkeeper Mary Earps taking the top spot.

U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles held the No. 2 spot in the list from the London newspaper.

This year, Earps was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, FIFA Best Women’s Goalkeeper, Women’s World Cup Golden Glove winner, Women’s Super League Golden Glove winner and finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or Feminin voting – the highest finish ever for a goalkeeper. She was also named to Vogue’s “Forces for Change.”

According to The Telegraph, Earps earned her spot at the top of their ranking “not only because of her feats on the pitch, helping England to a first World Cup final – men’s or women’s – since 1966, but because of how she inspires people with her actions off it.”

They also noted that Earps has “very much become the face of the Lionesses” having finished the year as England’s captain, and used her platform for good.

Biles, meanwhile, “solidified her place as the greatest gymnast of all time” this year. Her spot on the list comes after she was named the AP’s Female Athlete of the Year for the third time.

Other high-profile figures in the list’s Top 10 include Billie Jean King (No. 4), NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman (No. 5), US Open champion Coco Gauff (No. 6), and soon-to-be USWNT coach Emma Hayes (No. 7).

Spain soccer player Jenni Hermoso, skier Mikaela Shiffrin and Australian soccer player Sam Kerr also grace the list.

Simone Biles has been named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for the third time.

She’s just the sixth athlete to win the award three times, having previously won the honor in 2016 and 2019. The accolade caps off what has been a year of triumphant return for Biles, who made her comeback in competitive gymnastics in late July. It was her first competition in two years. By the end of August, she was a national champion. By October, she was a world champion.

Biles returned doing moves that nobody else has done. And she won a sixth all-around title at the World Gymnastics Championships to become the most decorated gymnast in the history of the sport. Her 34 Olympic or world championship medals surpassed the previous record of 33 set by Belarusian men’s gymnast Vitaly Scherbo.

Biles told the AP that her approach to getting back was taking it one day at a time. And she’s approaching gymnastics differently – it’s no longer the end of the world if she has a bad day.

“Whenever I was 19, it was the end of the world if I had bad days,” she said. “Now I’m like, ’It’s OK, it’s just gymnastics and I’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll get it started again.’”

Biles has admitted that she didn’t think she would ever compete again. It wasn’t until the spring that her coach Cecile Landi suggested that she get back to competing at a high level.

“I didn’t know what I was expecting,” Biles continued, crediting the people she has surrounded herself with for believing in her even when she was still trying to. “People were like, ‘No, we’ve seen you in training, this is what was supposed to happen.’”

She also got married this year to the Green Bay Packers’ Jonathan Owens, which she says was her best moment of 2023.

“At the end of the day I did worlds and all that stuff, but I did get married, I got to support him,” she said. “It’s just like, it’s kind of nice that gymnastics isn’t the main revolving piece.”

Tom Farden is out as Utah gymnastics coach nine days after he was placed on paid administrative leave. He was placed on leave weeks after allegations of abuse from former gymnasts Kara Eaker and Kim Tessen.

In a statement Tuesday night announcing the move, the university said the two sides had “mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.”

“The past several months have been an extremely challenging time for our gymnastics program,” athletic director Mark Harlan said in the statement. “Changes like this are never easy, and only come after extensive analysis and discussion. In this case, the decision provides necessary clarity and stability for our student-athletes and prevents further distraction from their upcoming season.”

Farden’s exit comes after Eaker and Tessen detailed allegations of abuse from their time in the program. Separately, both wrote about their time with the team on social media.

Eaker, a former member of the U.S. national team and two-time world champion, retired last month. In an Instagram post, she wrote that she has been diagnosed with “severe anxiety and depression, anxiety induced insomnia,” and has experienced panic attacks, PTSD and night terrors, as well as suicidal thoughts due to the “verbal and emotional abuse” she experienced during her time on the team.

Her attempts to report the abuse were “completely dismissed,” she wrote, with one administrator telling her that Eaker and the coach “just don’t get along.”

Tessen, who competed with the team from 2017 through 2020, shared similar experiences, noting that the program fostered “an abuse and toxic environment.”

Previously, the school said that the decision to place Farden on leave was “not related to student-athlete welfare” but declined to share further details.

Earlier this fall, an independent law firm investigated the program, but found that Farden “did not engage in any severe, pervasive or egregious acts of emotional or verbal abuse of student-athletes” and “did not engage in any acts of physical abuse, emotional abuse or harassment as defined by SafeSport Code.” In her Instagram post, Eaker called the investigation “incomplete at best.”

Farden had been co-head coach of the program since 2016 and was named sole head coach in 2020. In a statement, he said that it is “difficult to say goodbye” to the university, “but the time has come for me to embark on a new chapter.”

Carly Dockendorf, who was named interim head coach in his absence, will continue in the position for the 2024 season.

The University of Utah has placed gymnastics head coach Tom Farden on paid administrative leave weeks after allegations of abuse were made by former gymnasts Kara Eaker and Kim Tessen.

The leave is effective immediately, according to ESPN. The university did not provide a specific reason for the decision to place Farden on leave.

“This action comes after recent conduct and actions by Coach Farden not related to student-athlete welfare, which simply do not align with our values and expectations,” the school said in a statement.

Associate head coach Carly Dockendorf, who has been with the team since 2018, will serve as interim head coach.

Eaker, who is a former member of the U.S. national team and two-time world champion, retired last month after two seasons at Utah. In an Instagram post, she described her time on the team, which included being a “victim of verbal and emotional abuse.” She says that she has been diagnosed with “severe anxiety and depression, anxiety induced insomnia,” and has experienced panic attacks, PTSD and night terrors, as well as suicidal thoughts.

In her post, she said the alleged abuse happened most often in individual meetings with an “overpowering coach,” though she did not give a name. She describes being “personally attacked, humiliated, degraded and yelled at to the point of tears in front of the whole team.”

Her attempts to report the abuse were “completely dismissed,” she said, with one administrator telling her that Eaker and the coach “just don’t get along.”

Tessen, who competed with the team from 2017 through 2020, shared similar experiences on social media. The program, she said, fostered an “abusive and toxic environment.” She, too, dealt with “crippling depression and anxiety” while on the team as well as “suicidal ideation.”

Farden, who was named co-head coach in 2016 and has been the program’s sole head coach since 2020, was the subject of and investigation into the team’s culture that concluded in September. An outside law firm, Husch Blackwell, found that Farden “did not engage in any severe, pervasive or egregious acts of emotional or verbal abuse of student-athletes” and “did not engage in any acts of physical abuse, emotional abuse or harassment as defined by SafeSport Code.”

It was determined that Farden made a derogatory comment to a member of the team, but other incidents couldn’t “be independently corroborated” and were denied by the coach. He also “more likely than not threw a stopwatch and a cellular telephone in frustration in the presence of student-athletes,” but the investigation said that the behavior was “not repeated or severe.”

Eaker called the investigation “incomplete at best” in her social media post and said it lacked credibility.

“The report omits crucial evidence and information,” she said, “and the few descriptions used are inaccurate.”

“I’m speaking out for all of the women who can’t because they are mentally debilitated and paralyzed by fear,” she added. “I can no longer stand by while perpetrators are still allowed in sports and are causing young girls and women to suffer.”

Simone Biles’ history-making World Championships almost didn’t happen.

After winning her sixth all-around title at 2023 Worlds this past weekend, Biles is now the most decorated gymnast in the history of the sport with 37 international medals. She wrapped up the competition in Belgium with two gold medals on Sunday, bringing her gold medal total to 23 at the World Championships and 29 overall.

But if you ask Biles, she wasn’t sure if she’d be competing even just a few months ago. When one social media user tweeted, “remember like five months ago we didn’t think Simone would ever compete again,” Biles replied that she “didn’t think so either.”

The 26-year-old expanded on that thought process Sunday, saying she was also surprised at how far she’s come in less than a year.

“I’m proud that my coaches, that I have them pushing me each and every step of the way, as well as my teammates because they’re really what kept me going throughout those hard days, coming back in the gym and not sure if I was going to do it again,” Biles said. “So I’m very shocked at the outcome, I’m very proud. I’m happy with the work that we’ve put in to get here.”

Biles isn’t ready to confirm she has her sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics. She had to withdraw from several events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after suffering from the “twisties,” which causes gymnasts to lose track of where they are in the air.

Biles has said that a return to the Olympic stage is among her goals, but the four-time Olympic gold medalist also knows that a lot could happen between now and next summer.

“I still think there are so many more meets before that next year, so we’re going to focus on those first and see how far we get,” she said. “Because again I didn’t think I’d be at Worlds, I didn’t think I’d be at Classics, and ended up just fine. So we’ll see.”

The 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships are here, and Simone Biles has won a sixth all-around title.

Two days after Biles and Team USA won gold in the team competition, the 26-year-old became the most decorated gymnast in the history of the sport. With her individual gold medal, she has won 34 Olympic or world championship medals in her career, surpassing the previous record of 33 set by Belarusian men’s gymnast Vitaly Scherbo.

Already, Biles had etched her name in the record books by landing the Yurchenko double pike in the qualifying session. She is the first gymnast to do so in international competition, so the move will now be named the “Biles II.” And with the team win Wednesday, she became the only gymnast ever to be a part of five gold-medal winning teams at worlds.

On Friday, she added to her success in Antwerp, Belgium, winning her 21st gold medal at the world championships, and her 27th overall.

The U.S. women have won gold in the team competition in seven consecutive world championships, an all-time record. Shilese Jones, Leanne Wong, Skye Blakely and Joscelyn Roberson competed alongside Biles, accumulating a score of 167.729 points and beating out second-place Brazil (165.530).

Biles also is qualified to compete in all four event finals on Saturday and Sunday.

2023 World Gymnastics Championships: How to watch

  • Wednesday, Oct. 4 – Women’s Team Final
    • 1:30 p.m. ET on Peacock
  • Friday, Oct. 6 – Women’s All-Around Final*
    • 1:30 p.m. ET on Peacock
  • Saturday, Oct. 7 – Apparatus Finals, Day 1
    • 8 a.m. ET on Peacock
  •  Sunday, Oct. 8 – Apparatus Finals, Day 2
    • 8 a.m. ET on Peacock; 2 p.m. ET highlights on CNBC

*Note: The women’s all-around final also will be re-aired at noon Saturday, Oct. 14, on NBC.

Simone Biles continues to make history, making a record sixth world championships roster for the U.S. gymnastics team.

The 26-year-old earned an all-around total of 55.7000 at the selection camp, which put her ahead of Shilese Jones and Sky Blakely for the top spot on the roster. She becomes the only U.S. woman to qualify for six world championship teams. Admittedly, though, her performance to make the team was not her best.

“I feel like everybody was nervous [Tuesday] — not just me,” Biles told reporters Wednesday. “And I don’t know why. But it was just rough. So today was a lot better.”

Biles is joined by three gold medal winners from the 2022 world championships – Jones, Blakely and Leanne Wong. Additionally, 17-year-old Joscelyn Robertson was named to the roster.

The event marks a return to Antwerp, Belgium, for Biles, who won the first of her five all-around titles there at just 16 years old. In an Instagram story post following her qualification, she wrote, “Back to where it all started, see you soon Belgium.”

It’s been a decade, but Biles will return to Antwerp – this time looking to become the most decorated gymnast in history.

Currently, Biles has 32 combined Olympic and world championship medals – 25 of which have come at the world championships. She’s currently tied with Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union, who retired in 1966, for the most medals ever at the two events, but Biles could break that tie with a medal at worlds.

The next major event after the 2023 world championships will be 2024 Paris Olympics, and Biles wants to compete for the U.S. at another Summer Games. But she’s taking it one step at a time, and that now includes a trip to the world championships.

“Everything we’re doing leading up to this next Games, or whatever, is very intentional,” she said earlier this month. “I think I have to take care of myself a little bit more and listen to my body and making sure I’m making time for the important things in my life, rather than before it was just like go, go, go and then making time after.

“This time around, it’s being intentional, going to therapy, making sure everything is aligned so I can do the best in the gym and be like, a good wife, good daughter, good friend — all the good things.”

Simone Biles has her sights set on the Paris Olympics in 2024.

The seven-time Olympic medal winner, who returned to competition in August, told the “Today” show that the 2024 Olympics in Paris is “the path I would love to go.”

Following the U.S. Classic and U.S. Championships in August, Biles remained mum about the upcoming Summer Games. But she spoke with “Today” host Hoda Kotb about her goals, which include Paris.

“If I had $5 in my hand and I was going to Vegas and I’m like, ‘I’m going to bet on whether Simone will go to the Olympics or not,'” Kotb asked, “where would I put my five bucks, the yay or the nay?”

Biles responded: “I wouldn’t mind if you put it in the yay section.”

The five-time world all-around champion is likely to compete at this year’s world championships after taking home the all-around title at the U.S. competition. Still, she’s remaining down to earth amid her return to gymnastics.

“I think we have to be a little bit more cautious about how we do things. So everything that we’re doing leading up to this next Games or whatever is very intentional,” Biles said. “We’ve kind of been playing it on the down low this time, making sure mentally and physically are both intact. So I think it’ll be different, but it’ll be good.”

Biles made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics when she had to withdraw from several events due to the “twisties,” which causes gymnasts to lose track of where they are in the air. Her absence sparked discussions about athletes’ physical and mental health, and Biles wants to continue to prioritize both as she approaches a potential third Olympic appearance.

“I think I have to take care of myself a little bit more and listen to my body and making sure that I’m making time for the important things in my life rather than before,” Biles said. “It was just like, go, go, go, and, then, making time after.

“This time around, it’s like being intentional, going to therapy, making sure everything is aligned so that I can do the best in the gym and be, like, a good wife, a good daughter, a good friend, all the good things.”

And while Biles’ return to the sport has looked easy, it hasn’t always been, she admitted.

“There were times when I would come in the gym and I’d be like, ‘You know what? No, I don’t think this is going to work,'” she said. “And then I was like, ‘No, I’m going to give it another day. I’m going to give it another day.’ So I think just showing up and putting that work and that effort in really, really came to play.

“So as long as I showed up for another day and kept putting that work in, then [any doubts] kind of went down and dwindled. So, right now, I’m feeling really good. I think I still sometimes doubt myself, but I’m still doing my therapy and making sure everything’s aligned well.”