Simone Biles' expression was a clear indication of her emotions when she walked into Ariake Gymnastics Center on July 27 for the women's team competition. Biles, normally all smiles and easygoing, appeared serious and perhaps even troubled.After landing her vault in round one, that expression only grew. Biles attempted to perform a two-and-a-half twisting vault but lost her balance midair. She only managed one and half twists. It was sealed by the low difficulty and high execution scores. She said that the score would unfortunately go up for the team. I felt like I had robbed them off a few tenths of their potential ranking. It wasn't my best work.Biles spoke to Cecile Landi, the team trainer, and explained that the team would not be able to continue without her. She said that I wasn't going to lose the medal for the team. It was necessary to call it. They told me that Simone would say this and we should take it seriously.It meant that she was withdrawing from the final team. Millions of viewers across the globe watched her struggle and a gaggle of reporters were left asking, "Was she hurt?" Did she feel sick? Many people didn't consider or quickly dismissed was that Biles wasn't mentally ready to compete.USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that Biles would not compete in the individual all-around competition. She said she was focusing on her mental health and would be assessed daily to decide if she will continue to compete.Biles' decision is a result of athletes sharing their stories about anxiety and depression, especially since Michael Phelps made public his battle with depression. Naomi Osaka, who was suffering from depression and mental illness, pulled out of the French Open just over a month ago. For the first time, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee sent a team of mental health professionals to Tokyo this year. The Olympic Games could be the beginning of a new era in mental health awareness for athletes, as the greatest gymnast ever put her mental well-being on the highest stage of sports.Continue reading: Olympians Strive to Make Athletes' Mental Health FirstBiles was the face of the troubled Olympics and was seen as the potential savior. She was expected to win gold again in the team event, and retain her all-around title. Biles, who is normally a consistent and precise competitor, made some uncharacteristic mistakes during the Olympic Trials. These errors were evident in Tokyo's qualification round, which determines which eight teams will advance to the team event and which athletes will compete at the event finals. Biles was a bit too aggressive during vault and the floor routine. Biles shared her feelings on social media, saying that she sometimes feels like the world is on her shoulders. Although I try to make it seem as though pressure doesn't affect me, it can sometimes be hard. The Olympics are no joke!Biles has been seeing a therapist ever since her 2018 disclosure as a victim of Larry Nassar's sexual abuse. She said that she was also affected by the Tokyo Olympics postponement. It meant she had to train another year and work with USA Gymnastics for another year. This she and other survivors felt failed to protect them from the Nassar scandal.Particularly, the process of competing in these Olympics added an unprecedented amount of complexity, confusion, and anxiety. Athletes are competing in Tokyo under the corollary of COVID-19. This means athletes must perform under international expectations. It also means that they have to undergo daily testing, be restricted from moving and face constant reminders about an invisible enemy who could strike at any moment and endanger their years of hard work. A female alternate on the women's gymnastics team was positive for CVID-19 just days after she arrived in Japan. She and a close friend are now isolated. Although Biles did not mention it, the experience likely shaken the whole team as they had shared the same training facilities, used similar equipment, and lived together in the same bubble.Continue reading: Naomi Osaka: It's O.K. To Not Be O.K.Biles spoke of the long year and the many variables that influenced her decision to pull out. Biles took the proactive step to address a concern before it escalated beyond control. Biles stated that she has never felt so anxious about a competition before, and that she was shaking earlier in the day and couldn't nap as much as she usually does before big meets. Biles was concerned about losing her sense of direction in vaults she had performed hundreds, if certainly thousands of times. Biles is well aware that her body and mind were not in sync. She said that she felt the competition was best left to the girls. Let the girls do the rest and concentrate on me.Biles was the team's cheerleader for the rest of the event. She clapped and jumped up and down to every successful routine. It was the right decision, but it also came with a cost. Her teammates had to make last-minute lineup changes.Chiles, who trains in Spring, Texas with Biles and is close to her, admitted that it was definitely unexpected. When she announced that she was not going to continue, we were both very emotional. We did what was necessary and I am proud of that. This medal is for her. We wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for her. We wouldn't be Olympic silver medalists.Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, USA, during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games artistic gymnastics women’s team final at Ariake Gymnastics Centre Tokyo on July 27, 2021. Loic VenanceAFP via Getty ImagesAthletes must be able to recognize when they are mentally not in the right mental state to compete. It is crucial to have a team of teammates and coaches who understand the importance of this. This will ensure that mental problems don't become more severe. Biles stated that Landi and Laurent Landi were supportive of her mental breaks and how she manages stress. Cecile spoke with officials to inform them of Biles' decision to withdraw.Although many organizations such as the USOPC provide mental health resources to athletes in the past it has mostly been in the form a help with their performance on the track. The USOPC has hired Jessica Bartley as its director of mental health. She and her team will be assessing all athletes for mental health issues on an ongoing basis. This will allow them to spot potential problems early and take appropriate action. The International Olympic Committee created a mental-health playbook for athletes and their support personnel that was made available for them during the Games. It also plans to establish a global registry of culturally appropriate mental health professionals that every athlete can access.Biles is one of many elite athletes who have worked with mental health professionals. However, the USOPC is building a registry that includes psychiatrists and psychologists to which athletes can be referred if they need assistance in finding the right professionals.Biles believes that the journey does not end here. Some critics who are used to athletes risking their health for medals may claim that Biles put her team at risk by pulling out last-minute. She may have been trying to protect herself from ridicule and embarrassment if she doesn't meet the high standards she expects of her. She may be saving herself for all-around competition, and the glory that goes with it.She did put herself first but for the right reasons. This is the lesson that elite athletes and everyone should learn from Biles's choice, however shocking it may have been. Biles has overcome all barriers to achieve her physical feats, and now she is likely to face biases against mental health issues.Learn more about the Tokyo OlympicsGet the Brief. Register to get the best stories right now. 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