Olympic champion Simone Biles slammed newly appointed USA Gymnastics interim president and CEO Mary Bono for an anti-Nike tweet she posted about the sports brand’s Colin Kaepernick campaign.
Bono, named interim president and CEO of the organization on Friday, in September posted a photo of herself coloring in the logo on a pair of Nike sneakers so that it wasn’t visible. “Unfortunately had these shoes in my bag,” Bono tweeted at the time, a few days after Nike launched its Kaepernick campaign that incited conservative backlash for its support of Kaepernick’s campaign against police brutality and racism.
“Don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter USA Gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything,” Biles tweeted Saturday.
*mouth drop*
don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything https://t.co/cYQizcjywn
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) October 13, 2018
Biles, a four-time Olympic champion, is a Nike-sponsored athlete.
Bono, a former Republican congresswoman in California, replaces USA Gymnastics leadership that stepped down in the aftermath of the organization’s response to Larry Nassar, the doctor who sexually abused more than 100 girls.
“I regret the post and respect everyone’s views and fundamental right to express them,” Bono tweeted Saturday after deleting her September tweet. “I will do everything I can to help build, with the community, an open, safe, and positive environment.”
I regret the post and respect everyone’s views & fundamental right to express them. This doesn’t reflect how I will approach my position @USAGym I will do everything I can to help build, w/ the community, an open, safe & positive environment.
— Mary Bono (@MaryBonoUSA) October 14, 2018
