Pregnant athletes (such as Allyson Felix) aren't being treated differently (read: worse) by their sponsors because of their choice to have children. Paralympic athletes and female athletes are paid less than their male and able-bodied counterparts because society's decision-makers refuse to compensate them accordingly. So, to address anyone calling Biles' acts during the Olympics selfish: Sure, being part of a team - and representing your country at the top of your field - comes with a certain amount of self-sacrifice in order to be a true "team player." But if there's anything we know about female athletes (and all womxn, for that matter), it's that they need to look out for themselves, because who else will? Think that sounds cynical? Reminder: More than 150 women suffered at the hands of Nassar they were not protected. "I'm a little bit more nervous when I do gymnastics." And when you're competing at an elite level like Biles, those nerves can literally be deadly. "I just don't trust myself as much as I used to," Biles told reporters in Tokyo, according to CNN. Biles stepping away from the competition to take care of her mental health is more than just "feeling too much pressure" or "not wanting to make a mistake" or even "not feeling like it." When you're upside down 15 feet in the air, that mental disconnect is really about how much damage you could do with one misstep. ![]() A mental block can stall you mid-air, sending you crashing down onto your head, neck, or other body part with no one and nothing to catch you. While this could be said for many sports, there's an intense mind-body connection required to do even the simplest gymnastic skill that, if severed or compromised, can turn you into your own biggest opponent. Here's the thing: In gymnastics, your mental game is arguably more important than your physical ability. Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week's individual event finals," said USA Gymnastics in a statement. "After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health. ![]() Coming here to the Olympics and being the head star isn't an easy feat, so we're just trying to take it one day at a time and we'll see." (Just a couple days before competition, Biles said she felt like "the weight of the world" was on her shoulders.) USA Gymnastics later confirmed her withdrawal from the individual all-around, as well, this time making it clear that the decision was based on Biles' mental health. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. ![]() The next day, she told the TODAY Show, "Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape. ![]() USA Gymnastics then tweeted an official statement saying Biles withdrew from the competition due to "a medical issue," but Biles later clarified that it wasn't physical.
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