Simone Biles blasted followers who criticized her husband for sporting her gold medal, calling naysayers “f–cking depressing” and asking them to “depart [her family] alone.”.
The controversy started on Tuesday, July 30, shortly after Biles, 27, and Group USA gained the all-around crew gold medal on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, posted a photograph by way of Instagram that night, along with his arm round Biles and her gold medal round his neck.
“Witnessing historical past each time you step on the mat 😍🔥 Congrats child on turning into essentially the most embellished American gymnast in Olympic historical past!!!! Simply wow!!!! 8 of them!!!!! So grateful i used to be there to see it ❤️🤍💙,” he captioned the pic.
The submit has racked up over 1,000,000 likes and a slew of supportive feedback, together with one from Biles herself, who wrote, “my complete coronary heart. i really like you.” Some followers, nevertheless, didn’t take as kindly to seeing Owens seem to assert his spouse’s medal.
“Give the medal again bby thats not yours,” wrote one person.
“I’m irritated that he’s holding it like bfffr it’s not YOURS 😭,” one other added.
The controversy spilled onto TikTok the place influencer Kiera Breaugh posted the photograph and added her commentary.
“Take her medal off! After all the — take her medal off! Was it you, Mr. Simone Biles, who was flying by the air yesterday?” she mentioned. “Was it you who spun like a prime 30 instances within the air and landed with out stumbling? No. You have been taking notes within the viewers, and I assumed that was cute. I used to be gonna give him a move. I assumed him protecting rating the viewers was sort of cute. I used to be gonna take it straightforward on him.”
“Let her put on the metallic for the image that you just submit. After all the pieces that’s gone on, that may very well be a fairly easy PR transfer,” she added “ [You]already bought made enjoyable of by the complete web for attempting to overshadow [your] spouse, and undermine her accomplishments.’”
Biles jumped into the feedback to defend Owens.
“Loopy factor is, I put my medal on each single certainly one of my members of the family and took photos. so don’t ever make assumptions. 🙄,” she wrote. “like y’all are so f–king depressing. depart us alone.”
Breaugh took the criticism in stride, posting one other video during which she mentioned she was “honored to be advised to f— off by such a proficient lady.”
Biles and Owens, a security for the Chicago Bears, started relationship in 2020 and bought married in 2023. For the previous week, Owens has been in Paris supporting his spouse.