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Simone Biles Shares Tweet Hinting Larry Nassar Abuse Could Have Contributed To Her Mental Health Struggles

Simone Biles Shares Tweet Hinting Larry Nassar Abuse Could Have Contributed To Her Mental Health Struggles

Biles was one of the many victims who disgraced former Team USA doctor Nassar sexually abused over many years.

Max Sherry

Max Sherry

Simone Biles has shared a tweet that suggests the abuse she suffered at the hands of Larry Nassar could be behind her recent mental health concerns.

While some people have fired shots at Biles for withdrawing from the Olympics Games, others have heaped praise on her.

The gymnastics queen was forced to pull out of events in Tokyo, citing mental health struggles as her primary reason.

Since then, the 24-year-old has thanked her fans for all the positive message of support they've sent her through this particularly tough time in her life.

From re-sharing amazing posts to thanking her supporters with a message of her own, Biles has been using her platform on social media to show appreciation.

But one tweet in particular has caught the eye of some people.

Twitter

After sharing various other posts, Biles shared one tweet which suggests she could still be feeling the affects of the abuse she suffered at the hands of disgraced former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar.

The original tweet read: "We are talking about the same girl who was molested by her team doctor throughout her entire childhood and teenage years.

"That girl has endured more trauma by the age of 24 than most people will ever go through in a lifetime.

"We will never know or fully understand her personal choices and struggles.

"Plus all she has had to endure because of this sport and the joke of an organisation who protected her predator instead of her and her teammates for years."

Biles then retweeted that message.

It has now amassed almost 200,000 likes online and has received a bunch of supportive comments.

Former US gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was convicted of multiple counts of sexual misconduct including contact with minors, rape and possession of child pornography.

He was slapped with a 300-year jail sentence after over 250 former gymnasts came forward and publicly testified against him.

During the powerful trial, every victim bravely recounted their horror experiences with the man who was supposed to be protecting them.

Biles, who was fresh off the back of shattering gold medal records in Rio de Janeiro, also came forward and revealed that she was another of his victims too.

"Most of you know me as a happy, giggly, and energetic girl," she said in an emotional statement.

"But lately I've felt a bit broken and the more I try to shut off the voice in my head the louder it screams.

"I am not afraid to tell my story anymore. I too am one of the many survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar. Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper. There are many reasons that I have been reluctant to share my story, but I know now it is not my fault.

"After hearing the brave stories of my friends and other survivors, I know that this horrific experience does not define me.

"I am much more than this. I am unique, smart, talented, motivated, and passionate. I have promised myself that my story will be much greater than this and I promise all of you that I will never give up. I will compete with all of my heart and soul every time I step into the gym.

"I love this sport too much and I have never been a quitter. I won't let one man, and the others that enabled him, to steal my love and joy."

Simone Biles.
PA

Heading into the Tokyo Games, Biles hoped to be a voice for the victims and make a statement on behalf of all the sexual abuse survivors.

"I just feel like everything that happened, I had to come back to the sport to be a voice, to have change happen," she told NBC before the Olympics.

"If there weren't a remaining survivor in the sport they would've just brushed it to the side."

Biles, who is arguably the greatest gymnast of all-time, is now taking time away from the sport to focus on her mental well-being.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Simone Biles, Gymnastics, olympics, Tokyo Olympics, Mental Health, Team USA, Twitter, Australia