Why we need to stop asking athletes to save the world

Simone Biles’s withdrawal from the 2020 Tokyo Games due to concerns was met with shock, empathy, compassion, and of course the usual critics and outrage machines.

When I look at Simone Biles the athlete, I see a dominant once-in-a-lifetime talent. She has been called the Great Gymnast of all time with several moves named after her because she was the first to do them in competition. Her athletic skills are undeniable and many were saddened to see her withdraw from the competition because she was one of the main draws for this pandemic postponed Olympic Games.

When I look at Simone Biles the young woman, I see a woman in her early 20’s who has spent most of her life working toward being the best in her field. All of those hours of dedication to one singular focus of being the best in her sport through injuries, fatigue, and constantly being in the public eye.

Gymnastics is a sport for young girls. Injuries, puberty, and the wisdom to know the limits of one’s body are enough for retirement by age 20. We rarely even see girls compete back to back in the Olympics. (2012 Olympic All-Around champion Gabby Douglas was an exception competing in Rio in 2016.)

The real anomaly is gymnast Oksana Chusovitina from Uzbekistan who took her final curtain call at her eighth Olympics at the age of 46.

When I look at Simone Biles, I also see a survivor. Simone Biles along with other brave and courageous women had the guts to stand up…