Throwback: Simone Biles criticizes gymnastics CEO for anti-Nike tweet

INDIANAPOLIS – Every time USA Gymnastics attempts to move beyond controversy, more controversies ensue.

The latest came Saturday when Simone Biles criticized a tweet posted by Mary Bono, the interim president of USA Gymnastics, whose headquarters are in Indianapolis.

Bono’s tweet reflected criticism of Nike for its endorsement deal with Colin Kaepernick, who was not named in the post. Bono’s tweet featured a photo of her blacking out the Nike logo on golf shoes.

 “Mouth drop,” Biles wrote on Twitter. “Don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything.”

Biles’ tweet came a day after she was chosen to Team USA for the upcoming World Championships at Doha, Qatar. She finished first in the all-around at a selection camp Thursday. Besides the four Olympic gold medals she won at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, she became the first woman to win the all-around at three successive World Championships (2013-15).

Bono’s post was made Sept. 7, a month before she was named interim CEO. USA Gymnastics remains without an apparel sponsor. Biles, 21, is a Nike athlete.

“I deeply regret posting the tweet because I respect everyone’s views and their fundamental right to express them,” Bono said late Saturday night in a statement issued by the federation and posted on her Twitter account. “This in no way reflects how I will approach my position at USA Gymnastics. I will do everything I can to help change the culture and to work with the entire community to build an open, safe and positive environment.”

Under Armour was one of the sponsors lost by USA Gymnastics in fallout from the Larry Nassar scandal. An IndyStar investigation led to more than 250 women accusing the former national team physician of sexual abuse. They included included Biles and fellow Olympic teammates Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and Madison Kocian.

Biles, the face of the sport and considered the greatest female gymnast ever, has chided USA Gymnastics before. When the federation did not honor Nassar survivors at August’s national championships in Boston, she wore a teal leotard in their honor.

Bono, 56, is a former gymnast and was once a U.S. representative from California. She was first elected to Congress to replace her late husband, entertainer Sonny Bono. She was formerly a principal of Faegre Baker Daniels Consulting in Washington, D.C. She is married to Stephen Oswald, a former astronaut and Navy rear admiral.

The first Nassar accuser to come forward was Rachel Denhollander, whose criticism of Bono exceeded that of Biles. In a Twitter post, Denhollander said Bono was in the firm “that helped Steve Penney (sic) bury Larry Nassar’s abuse for over a year.”

Dehollander added:

“It’s like. . .they aren’t even trying to find someone who will stand up against an abusive culture.”

USA Gymnastics’ previous CEO, Kerry Perry, resigned Sept. 4 under pressure from the U.S. Olympic Committee. She had replaced Penny, whose 12-year tenure ended March 16, 2017,

The federation parted ways Aug. 31 with Mary Lee Tracy, saying she “inappropriately” contacted a survivor (Raisman). Tracy had been hired to lead the women’s elite development program.

Tracy was scorned for comments she made about Nassar. In December 2016, Tracy told a Cincinnati television station she defended Nassar because he had been “amazing” to her and Olympians she had coached.

The interview came three days after Nassar was indicted on federal child pornography charges. By then, he had been fired from his job at Michigan State, charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

“USA Gymnastics has appointed someone who, in my view, supported Nassar, victim-shamed survivors, & has shown no willingness to learn from the past,” Raisman posted on Twitter.

Tracy posted that she was asked to resign after trying to contact Raisman to apologize.

One response to the Nassar crisis has been to cut ties with the Karolyi Ranch, the former national training center near Huntsville, Texas. Temporary home for the women’s national team is now Evo Athletics in Sarasota, Fla., where Biles’ former coach, Aimee Boorman, is an executive director.

USA Today columnist Nancy Armour contributed to this report. Contact IndyStar reporter David Woods at [email protected] or call 317-444-6195. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.