Simone Biles

Last week, Shannon Biles, the birth mother of Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, expressed a desire to reconnect with her daughter, whom she has been estranged from for decades. Shannon, who lives in poverty, also shared that she would welcome financial assistance if offered by Simone.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Shannon, 52, opened up about the strained relationship between her and Simone. “Of course, I would accept her help,” Shannon stated, adding that Simone has not extended any financial support to her thus far. “I’m here. I’m okay,” she said, reflecting on her situation.

Simone, now an accomplished and celebrated Olympic gymnast, was separated from her birth mother as a child due to Shannon’s struggles with substance abuse. Shannon lost custody of her four children, including Simone, who was later adopted by her maternal grandfather Ron and his wife Nellie Biles, who raised her in Texas. Despite her remarkable success, Simone has chosen to maintain her distance from Shannon, who continues to live in the same modest row house in the crime-ridden neighborhood of Franklinton, Ohio.

While Simone’s life has been marked by extraordinary achievements, it has not been without its share of scrutiny. Recently, Simone found herself addressing criticism from online trolls after sharing a video of herself enjoying a luxury shopping spree following her victorious performance at the Olympic Games. Some critics took issue with her flaunting her wealth, particularly after she was seen with an Hermès handbag. Simone responded to the backlash on Threads, cheekily clarifying that the expensive handbag was actually a gift from her adoptive parents, writing, “My parents bought me my Hermès bag. Don’t be mad at me, be mad at your parents.”

Shannon, who has been sober for years but continues to struggle financially, has expressed her desire to mend the broken relationship with her daughter. However, Simone has yet to show any interest in reconciling with the woman who abandoned her during her early years.

As Shannon navigates life with little to no contact with Simone, the question remains whether the two will ever find a way to reconnect, or if the rift between them will continue to grow.

The post Simone Biles’ Estranged Birth Mother Expresses Desire for Reconciliation and Financial Help first appeared on The Source.

The post Simone Biles’ Estranged Birth Mother Expresses Desire for Reconciliation and Financial Help appeared first on The Source.

The world of gymnastics were in for a shock following the 2024 Women’s Final in Paris. On Tuesday, July 28, Simone Biles led her team to a gold medal victory, marking a triumphant return after her withdrawal from most of the 2020 competitions due to the “twisties.” However, the celebration was short-lived with tension between Biles and her former teammate, MyKayla Skinner.

The friction between Biles and Skinner traces back to earlier this month during the Gymnastics US Olympic Team Trials in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Skinner posted a video on YouTube, which she later deleted, criticizing the current generation of gymnasts. “Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth isn’t what it used to be,” Skinner stated. “I just noticed, obviously, a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls don’t have the work ethic.”

Skinner also commented on the shift in coaching styles, saying, “Coaches can’t get on athletes which in some ways is really good but at the same time, to get to where you need to be in gymnastics you do have to be… a little aggressive, a little intense.”

Biles responded to these remarks through Instagram Threads, writing, “Not everyone needs a mic and a platform.” Jordan Chiles’ mother also expressed her disapproval on X, formerly known as Twitter, noting, “Whoa. She really said that out loud and posted it. That’s something….”

In the wake of the backlash, Skinner issued an apology via Instagram Story, stating that her comments were based on personal experiences and were not intended to offend the 2024 team. “Sorry for anything that got out of context or seemed hurtful,” she said. She emphasized her support for the team, expressing her happiness for their achievements.

Despite the apology, Biles’ Instagram post celebrating the team’s Olympic win appeared to subtly reference Skinner’s comments. “Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions,” the caption read, prompting fans to acknowledge the apparent dig at Skinner. McKayla Maroney even chimed in with a comment jokingly apologizing for sharing the same name as Skinner.

Skinner did not publicly respond to Biles’ post, but the tension escalated when Biles posted on X, “oops I’ve been blocked.” Speculation that Skinner was behind the block was seemingly confirmed by Chiles, who shared a photo on her Instagram Story showing Biles’ phone unable to access Skinner’s posts. Chiles captioned it: “When she blocks Simone.”

As the gymnastics world processes the drama, the focus remains on the remarkable achievements of Biles and her team. Despite the personal conflicts, their gold medal win stands as a testament to their dedication and talent.

The post Simone Biles and MyKayla Skinner’s Tension Continues Post-2024 Women’s Final in Paris first appeared on The Source.

The post Simone Biles and MyKayla Skinner’s Tension Continues Post-2024 Women’s Final in Paris appeared first on The Source.