S3 Ep. 7: Some Serious Pressure: Simone Biles

American Prodigy: Becoming Great

Blue Wire

Sports

4.8 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 4 April 2022

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

**Content note** This episode contains graphic accounts of sexual abuse and child neglect. There are also accounts of physical and emotional abuse, suicidal ideation, and racism. In 2016, both Simone and Gabby are on the world’s stage — and USAG starts to crack. There’s no accountability, just complete institutional failure to protect young women in this sport and it’s starting to boil over. Jordan Chiles, Jessica Luther, mental health expert Alanna Gardner, and Nellie Biles talk about the crucial period between 2016 and 2021 — the role Simone played in it — and the toll being a symbol with power can take. Click here for the transcript of episode 7 Click here for the Blue Wire newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before we start, a quick content note.
0:05.1	This episode contains graphic accounts of sexual abuse and child neglect.
0:10.5	There are also accounts of physical and emotional abuse, suicidal ideation and racism.
0:16.6	You'll also hear some swearing.
0:21.4	Previously on American prodigies, but there's something about protecting, you know,
0:26.2	a mama bear, right? So I was that bear.
0:29.3	What was shocking to me was that USA Gymnastics was like a mom in pop shop.
0:35.7	Well, in gymnastics, they tell you, they literally tell you they mean in coaches.
0:41.2	They say not to show any hurt, any physical pain.
0:45.2	And of course, you're never going to show any emotional pain.
0:48.2	If you cannot even show your physical pain.
0:51.2	They had so much responsibility for all of these gymnasts, you know,
0:55.3	male and female, but you talk to them on the phone and you talk to other people about it.
0:59.6	And you're like, are these people trained?
1:02.9	Have they had any education on any of this?
1:05.5	Do they know what they're doing?
1:07.1	I struggled with depression. I struggled with suicide.
1:11.2	I struggled with a lot of things and to be able to go have a safe space where I wouldn't
1:17.6	feel judged from anybody or judgment from anything, you know, that really helps get me on track.
1:27.2	Even the most casual observer of gymnastics has heard of Simone Biles.
1:32.4	And then not so casual observers, the gymnastics heads are constantly blown away by her skills.
1:39.1	I mean, you're just like, wow, there's never been an athlete like this ever.
	...

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