Simone Biles Hits Back at Users Criticizing Her ‘Fried’ Hair at the Olympics

Simone Biles has been competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but her journey to gold was unexpectedly met with criticism from netizens regarding her hair. The world-renowned gymnast didn’t hesitate to address her critics.

The 27-year-old athlete recently posted a video to her Instagram story, sharing a light-hearted yet firm message, “don’t come for me about my hair [sic].”

Seated on a bus and dealing with soaring temperatures, Simone explained, “IT WAS DONE but bus has NO AC & it’s like 9,0000 degrees.” She added, “oh & a 45 min ride [sic].”

Simone was more direct in another post, stating, “gonna hold my hand when I say this…next time you wanna comment on a black girls hair. JUST DON’T [sic].” Her statement led to various reactions on social media.

One frustrated viewer vented, “Simone Biles hair never being done properly be pissing me off. Everybody else on the team is put together, then she looks like she just rolled out of bed 🤦🏽[sic].”

Another echoed this viewpoint, albeit with a hint of concern, “Her hair looks broke off , fried, and unhealthy. I don’t think anyone is trying to be mean , if anything it’s black women giving advice . She is the best gymnast ever and she has the means to attain healthy hair . Why not look and be your best simultaneously [sic]?”

Yet, the love for Simone shone through even in critiques. “I’m just trying to figure out why Simone Biles hair never done ? Like girllll come on 🙄 STILL LOVE HER AND HOPE SHE DOES GREAT [sic]!” expressed one fan.

On the other hand, many defended Simone, highlighting the physical demands of her sport. “I’m so sick of people coming for Simone Biles’s hair as if she’s not flipping in the air at the speed of light out there,” one defender retorted.

“Simone Biles is focused on better things than hair. Women need to stop policing hairstyles. It’s ridiculous 🧐 Why are women still talking about her hair? We all go through frizz in humidity,” another voice of reason added.

Despite the online comments about her hair, Simone remained focused and led her team to victory in the competition. Simone led Team USA to a stunning win in the women’s gymnastics team final, securing a total score of 171.296.

The team’s win marks the fourth gold for the U.S., following their triumphs in 1996, 2012, and 2016. Italy claimed silver with a score of 165.494, while Brazil took bronze with 164.497, marking their first medal in this category.

Throughout the Olympics, Simone showcased simple yet striking hairstyles, often opting for a hair bun that highlighted her versatility and style. In one photo, she wore her hair in a high bun with cascading strands, secured with hairpins.

In another photo, Simone sported small braids running from the front to the back, which seamlessly blended into her high, messy bun. It appears she braided her hair before styling it into a bun.

In another picture, Simone opted for a more casual look, wearing a simple messy bun with some strands left loose for a relaxed appearance. She kept the style natural, without adding any hairpins.

Reflecting on the team’s achievement, Simone expressed her joy, saying, “It feels amazing. We love it, we’re excited…We got the job done.”

On Instagram, Simone also shared a photo of her team celebrating their win, happily holding the American flag. “lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions ❤️🥇🇺🇸 [sic],” Simone captioned her post.

Her response and outstanding performance remind us that her athletic prowess far outweighs any superficial judgments, particularly those concerning her hair.

Simone’s hairstyles have always been a part of her public persona, and now they are featured in a Netflix documentary “Simone Biles: Rising.” The documentary delves into her journey, including a look at her hair braiding routine.

Collaborating with streaming powerhouse Netflix and Emmy-winning director Katie Walsh, the first season of Simone’s life documentary has hit TV screens. Breaking down the fourth wall, Katie has revealed the story behind certain elements featured in the project.

According to the description on Netflix, “Simone Biles: Rising” followed the young talent as she “balances her personal life, mental health journey and training ahead of a highly anticipated return to the Olympics.”

The trailer gave viewers a preview of the documentary, starting with an interview where Simone talked about the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. It then showcased clips of her incredible gymnastics skills.

Shifting the mood, the trailer transitioned to the infamous moment when Simone left the competition before transitioning to her addressing that incident and other battles she had faced.

At one point, she even revealed how she considered quitting gymnastics altogether, but her loved ones encouraged her to keep fighting.

The documentary featured two parts. The first, “Write Me Down in History,” covered the initial stages of Simone preparing for her comeback, reflecting on internal battles and the enormous pressure she faced after the Tokyo Championships. The second episode, “I Will Not Be Broken,” spotlighted Simone at the World Championships.

“But as she looks toward Paris, experiences from the past are shaping how she thinks about the future,” reads the end of the episode’s plot line. Since its release, Netflix has shared clips from the episodes on various platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.

Standout footage from the documentary scenes showed Simone’s doting mother, Nellie Biles, doing her daughter’s hair. In this clip, Simone sat at a wooden table while Nellie tended to her hair.

As Nellie explained how Simone could style her hair — presumably for an event — she used her hands to mark distinctive lines where she could braid it. Simone then said in the clip, “Well, you can just do one at the top.”

Nellie then confirmed her daughter’s request, adding, “And then the one in the back,” before grabbing a hair comb to get started. The video then showed Nellie braiding Simone’s hair.

Sitting down with the hosts of GymCastic on July 21, Katie unpacked the narrative behind that special moment. After being asked by co-host Jessica O’Beirne to talk about the hair braiding, Katie began by explaining how the filming process worked.

The documentary was greenlit four days before the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

She shared how although the production team was allowed to film with Simone, they were not allowed to film in her hotel room. This was due to strict rules and regulations from the United States of America Gymnastics (USAG) sports federation.

“So, what we worked out was, there was like a conference room area to this hotel […] and we could only film within the confines of this like, you know 5 by 9 room […] So we would kind of bring things into that space. So Nellie would come and braid Simone’s hair there,” Katie said.

Continuing, Katie disclosed, “Nellie could go to Simone’s hotel room, but we couldn’t, so they would work with us and come to that other spot.” Reactions to seeing Simone having her hair braided by her mom were heartfelt, with many noting how touched they were by the sentimental moment.

“I’m not crying, yes I’m crying,” expressed an admirer on Facebook. Another gushed, “So beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes.” Nellie has always braided Simone’s hair and only recalled one time when she did not do so.

“Tokyo was the one time I did not braid Simone’s hair. She is an adult, I mean, this girl can braid her own hair. But it’s not about braiding her hair. It’s that bonding […] it’s the touch,” Nellie stated in the hair braiding clip.

More than simply being about styling hair, Nellie and Simone’s hair braiding video showed how hair could be a gateway to fostering community and gaining happiness and confidence.

Additionally, Nellie’s candid reflections gave rise to a wider discussion on the topic of black hair, specifically. The mother and daughter showcased the power and care that black women could gain by tending to their beautiful hair.

However, there was a time when Simone did not always feel as confident with her hair. Speaking with a popular fashion outlet earlier this month (July 2024), she confessed, “I used to worry about [my hair being considered] not professional.”

However, there was a time when Simone did not always feel as confident with her hair. Speaking with a popular fashion outlet on July 17, she confessed, “I used to worry about [my hair being considered] not professional.”

The Olympic gymnast also repeatedly received a lot of flak about her hair from the public. “[Why] won’t [Simone Biles] get her hair done..like ever…” asserted someone on X. Another critic wrote, “[Now] [Simone Biles] hair do be lookin a mess sometimes.”

Echoing the same sentiment, a spectator added, “No way in hell Simone Biles supposed to be walking around with her hair all over the places married to an NFL player.”

Regardless of people’s opinions, Simone expressed that she embraces her hair as it is. “I’m not embarrassed about it anymore,” she noted.

Despite online criticism about her hair, Simone Biles stayed focused on her Olympic goals. Her stellar performance in Paris and heartfelt moments in her Netflix documentary highlight her resilience and authenticity, proving that surface-level critiques don’t define her remarkable achievements.