OLYMPIC GAMES
Why was Simone Biles absent from the Paris Olympics opening ceremony?
As the spectacle unfolded across the French capital, the American gymnast was one of the notable absentees from the U.S. delegation.
The American gymnast Simone Biles was notably absent during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as revealed by her mother in a brief conversation with USA Today. The 27-year-old athlete was not present with the United States delegation, which sailed down the waters of the River Seine and was led by flag bearers, basketball player LeBron James, and tennis player Coco Gauff.
Simple reason behind Biles absence
Biles dreams of winning four medals in the Paris Games, and with her debut approaching, she stayed behind to train and fully focus on her first event in the Olympics on Sunday, July 28.
“The first competition is on Sunday, which is the women’s qualification, and of course, she needs to rest before that competition,” said Nellie Biles. Meanwhile, the athlete took to her Instagram Stories to share that she plans to watch a recap of the ceremony when it airs during NBC’s primetime coverage.
Biles also missed Tokyo ceremony
This is not the first time Simone has missed the opening ceremony, as she and the entire artistic gymnastics team did not attend the Tokyo 2021 ceremony three years ago, preparing instead for their upcoming competitions.
“The male and female gymnasts did not walk,” a spokesperson told ‘People’. “They will be competing in the coming days and are focused on preparation,” was the explanation given for the gymnastics team’s absence.
Biles herself confirmed the news on her Instagram account at the time, adding that the threat of COVID-19 also influenced her decision not to participate in the 2021 opening ceremony.