‘Simone Biles doesn’t owe us a darn thing’
By now, you’ve probably heard everything that needs to be said about Olympic athletes Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka. The Times’ editorial board weighed in on Biles, arguably the greatest U.S. gymnast ever, praising her for highlighting the mental health struggles of athletes when she announced her decision to withdraw from the team competition and individual all-around final this week; so have sports pundits, some less charitably than others.
So why spill more ink on this topic now, and especially on a letters page? Because if anyone is piling on Biles and Osaka as if the 20-something athletes were commodities, it isn’t our readers.
Their letters, even those critical of athletes chafing under extraordinary pressure, betray feelings of empathy and compassion that may be more abundant among Olympic watchers than professional commentators. The letters also demonstrate a panoramic view of sports, one that regards the athletes as humans first and competitors second.