Simone Biles slams USA Gymnastics in birthday tweet, urges independent Nassar investigation
USA Gymnastics wished Simone Biles a happy birthday on Saturday morning on social media, an expected move given that Biles is the most decorated gymnast in American history.
Biles, however, didn’t take the wish well — and spun it right back on the organization perfectly.
The 23-year-old, quote-tweeting USA Gymnastics’ message, used the opportunity to again call for an independent investigation into the Larry Nassar scandal — the former team doctor who was convicted after sexually abusing athletes for years.
how about you amaze me and do the right thing... have an independent investigation https://t.co/58Gc9QUk76
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) March 14, 2020
Biles, along with several other notable gymnasts, have called for an independent investigation in recent days, shortly after USA Gymnastics proposed a $215 million settlement to Nassar’s victims. That settlement would also release several high-profile USA Gymnastics officials from liability, per the Washington Post.
Nassar was effectively handed a life sentence in 2018 after he sexually assaulted more than 150 women and girls over several decades, both at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State.
“I feel like it’s a really tough subject to talk about, so it’s easier to tweet about it and just let people know that I do care,” Biles said on the Today Show earlier this month. “But I think they just need to do what they say in some of their tweets that they release and to just do an independent investigation. And there’s a lot of things that need to happen before we can move forward.”
She slammed the lack of investigation on Twitter last month, too.
And don’t THEY also want to know HOW everything was allowed to happen and WHO let it happen so it NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN? Shouldn’t people be held accountable? Who do I ask??? I’m torn at this point....
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) February 29, 2020
Teammate Aly Raisman was right with her, too, and accused USA Gymnastics of trying to cover the scandal up ahead of the 2020 Olympics later this summer in Tokyo.
“It’s honestly offensive,” Raisman said on the Today Show earlier this month. “It shows they don’t care. They’re just trying to push it under the rug and hoping people will forget about it when they watch the Olympics this summer.”
Even though it may be her birthday, Biles clearly isn’t taking a break from the fight.
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