Simone Biles explains that her withdrawal from the final of women's gymnastics was due to her mental health. (1:26).Aly Raisman, three-time Olympic gold medalist, felt a rush of emotions and memories as she watched Simone Biles (2016 U.S. women’s gymnastics team) compete in Tuesday's team final.Raisman stated that it is very stressful. Raisman said that it was the most pressure she'd ever seen on a gymnast or Olympic athlete. I can't even imagine how difficult it must be for her."I am very proud of Simone and can't even imagine the courage it takes to say, "I'm not going do it today."Raisman's tweet, which went viral the same night, came after the U.S. women scored lower than expected in Monday's qualifiers.A friendly reminder that Olympic athletes are human beings and they do their best. Under such pressure, it's really hard to be at your best and maintain the daily routine. It's really hard. Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) July 26, 2021She said, "I just wanted people to know that second place in the entire world is amazing and something to be proud off." I think people sometimes forget that Olympic athletes can be human and that mental health is important. We need to keep talking about it and ensure that we as a society do everything we can to support them.Raisman was the captain of both the 2012 "Fierce Five", and 2016 "Final Five," which were both winners at the summer games. Biles is this year's captain and Raisman wondered if USA Gymnastics had enough resources to support Biles in Tokyo.Raisman stated that "when I was training, there really weren’t resources for us to discuss our mental health or any other means of understanding it." "So I don't know if there are resources in Tokyo for Simone. ... It's time to ask USA Gymnastics and USA Olympic Committee: How can you support your athletes? What can we learn? How can we support athletes better?U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland stated in a statement: "Simone! You've made us so proud. We are proud of you as an athlete, friend, and person. We are proud of your decision to put mental health first and offer the support and resources of Team USA as you travel the future.Raisman stated that even if Biles does not compete in any other Olympic events, Raisman expressed her hope that what she did Monday will last.Raisman stated, "She's still a most incredible gymnast." "I think she's leading us by example and showing us that mental health is important and crucial.Michael Phelps, Olympic great, agreed.He spoke on NBC to support Biles' decision and said, "It broke mine heart."Phelps stated that he hopes this will open up more discussions about mental health.He said, "We have a lot of weight upon our shoulders, it's difficult, especially when there are the lights on us, all of these expectations being placed on top of us."Phelps said that he believes it is important to teach children at an early age how to manage their mental and physical health."If we don't take care of our mental and physical well-being, how can we expect to be 100 percent?" He said."We're human beings. No one is perfect. It's okay to not be perfect. It is okay to experience emotional rollercoasters and ups and downs. It's important to remember that we all need help during those difficult times. It was difficult for me to ask for help." It was difficult for me to ask for assistance."This report was contributed by Aishwarya Kumar, ESPN.
