Simone Biles slams anti-Nike tweet by Interim USA gymnastics leader

By Dawn Onley

·October 14, 2018

Simone Biles reacts after competing on the balance beam during day four of the U.S. Gymnastics Championships 2018 at TD Garden on August 19, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)

[griojw id=”dCpI83Ga” playerid=”x9J2bwvH”]

Simone Biles has beef with interim U.S.A. Gymnastics leader Mary Bono for an anti-Nike tweet she posted last month, just days after the company unveiled Colin Kaepernick as the face of its “Just Do It” campaign, according to The New York Times.

Bono, a former congresswoman, apparently was against Nike’s move. In a since-deleted tweet, Bono shared a photo of herself in September using a marker to black out the Nike logo on her golf cleats. Biles wasted no time sharing and responding to Bono’s month old tweet, one day after Bono was appointed to the top gymnastics spot.

*mouth drop*

don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything https://t.co/cYQizcjywn

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) October 13, 2018

“*mouth drop,*” Biles wrote in her tweet. “don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything.” It is worth noting that Biles is sponsored by Nike.

Bono quickly apologized and removed the tweet.

“I deeply regret posting the tweet because I respect everyone’s views and their fundamental right to express them,” she said in a statement released by U.S.A. Gymnastics. “This in no way reflects how I will approach my position at U.S.A. Gymnastics. I will do everything I can to help change the culture and to work with the entire community to build an open, safe and positive environment.”

I regret the post and respect everyone’s views & fundamental right to express them. This doesn’t reflect how I will approach my position @USAGym I will do everything I can to help build, w/ the community, an open, safe & positive environment.

— Mary Bono (@MaryBonoUSA) October 14, 2018

Bono, who was married to former pop star and legislator, Sonny Bono, was chosen as interim director until U.S.A. Gymnastics can find a permanent successor to Kerry Perry. Perry resigned in September from the job amid pressure from the United States Olympic Committee.

U.S.A. Gymnastics is trying to move the organization past a sexual abuse scandal involving Larry Nassar, the former team doctor, and more than 200 women who have come forward over the past two years.

Just when we thought the USA Gymnastics scandals were over, Biles reminds us that, although different in nature, there is still scandal.