Gold Medalist Stunned Over Latest USA Gymnastics Move

Simone Biles is critical of organization's new interim leader
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 14, 2018 12:20 PM CDT
Gold Medalist Stunned Over Latest USA Gymnastics Move
Olympic champion Simone Biles prepares to compete in the U.S. Classic gymnastics event Saturday, July 28, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio.   (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

USA Gymnastics is trying to get past months of scandal—but as of Saturday, their house is still rocking. The organization's appointment of Mary Bono as interim president and CEO landed with a shockwave when gold medalist Simone Biles reacted in disbelief: "*Mouth drop* ... don't worry, it's not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything," she tweets. Her message links to a now-deleted tweet from Bono criticizing Nike's ad campaign with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, ESPN reports. A photo showed Bono, a former GOP congresswoman, blacking out the Nike logo on her golf cleats with a marker.

Bono responded about five hours after Biles' criticism: "I regret the post and respect everyone's views & fundamental right to express them," Bono tweets. "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." Bono's appointment was designed to help USA Gymnastics get past the sexual-abuse scandal involving national team doctor Lawrence Nassar, and by extension, the leadership of past president Steve Penny. But now they've got a new problem: As a father of four children in USA Gymnastics tells the New York Times, "After everything that's happened, this is what they do?" (More gymnastics stories.)

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