Simone Biles Receives Outpouring of Support From Sponsors: "We Are in Awe of You" Biles and USA Gymnastics cited mental-health concerns as the gymnast's reason for dropping out of two major Olympic competitions.
By Emily Rella Edited by Amanda Breen
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Simone Biles took the country and the world by surprise this week when she announced that she would be pulling out of the USA Women's Team Gymnastics final and later also pulling out of the Women's Gymnastics Individual All-Around final.
Biles and USA Gymnastics cited mental-health concerns as the gymnast's reason for dropping out.
After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition. We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many. pic.twitter.com/6ILdtSQF7o
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 28, 2021
"After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition," the organization said in a statement via social media. "We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."
USA Gymnastics also noted that the Biles would be "evaluated daily" to determine whether or not she will be able to participate in the Women's Gymnastics Individual Event finals next week.
Upon the announcements, Biles' sponsors came to her side to support her, applauding her decision to take a step back in the name of her mental health.
Core Power, a protein shake company who has worked with Biles for over six years, tweeted out their support of the athlete.
.@Simone_Biles showing us all that her courage and strength extend well beyond the mat. We're in awe of you today and every day. #Simone pic.twitter.com/f2PVITsKzk
— Core Power (@CorePower) July 28, 2021
"We are in awe of you today and every day," the company wrote before including a goat emoji meant to represent the acronym Greatest of All Time.
Biles worked on a new 360 campaign with the company as recently as June leading up to this year's Olympic Games.
"[Biles] … is the perfect example of an athlete who understands the importance of recovery in achieving amazing things," Core Power said at the time.
Biles' was also publicly supported by Athleta, the Gap-owned athleticwear company that Biles has been partnered with since April following the end of her six-year contract with Nike.
"We stand by Simone and support her well-being both in and out of competition," Kyle Andrew, Athleta Chief Brand Officer, said in a statement. "Being the best also means knowing how to take care of yourself. We are inspired by her leadership today and are behind her every step of the way."
The company also tweeted out a heartwarming picture of the athlete and captioned it "Simone" with a heart emoji.
Simone. pic.twitter.com/hwoV6HWN85
— Athleta (@Athleta) July 27, 2021
"I feel like they also support me, not just as an athlete, but just as an individual outside of the gym and the change that I want to create, which is so refreshing," Biles has said of her partnership with Athleta.
The gymnast is also one of the 102 Olympic athletes sponsored by Visa, who tweeted out their support on Wednesday.
An inspiration, on and off the mat. pic.twitter.com/3lbJ8IaWEy
— Visa (@Visa) July 28, 2021
"The Team Visa family recognizes her incredibly brave decision, which shows how Simone is able to inspire both on and off the mat," the company wrote.
The 24-year-old currently holds four Olympic gold medals and 19 World Championship gold medals.
The support hasn't gone unnoticed by the athlete, who Tweeted a heartfelt "thank you" late Wednesday night.
the outpouring love & support I've received has made me realize I'm more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before.
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 29, 2021
"The outpouring love & support I've received has made me realize I'm more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before," she wrote.
The women's individual event finals are set to begin Sunday, August 1.
