"We are human": Simone Biles highlights the importance of mental health after withdrawing from another Olympic final

By Daniella Silva - NBC News

Simone Biles knew she was carrying a lot of weight when she entered Tokyo's Ariake Gymnastics Center on Tuesday. As the leader of the United States Olympic team, he carried the hopes of revalidating his country's gold medal. As the greatest gymnast of all time, she carried the expectations of once again dominating the competition. As a great advocate for female athletes, she carried the pressure to make her fans proud. Or as he said Monday, he carried "the weight of the world" on his shoulders. And it made it look easy. Until it ceased to be.

In making the unexpected decision to drop out of the team final on Tuesday, Biles acknowledged the

tremendous pressure

he has faced as "the main star of the Olympics" and said he needed to focus on his mental health.

American gymnast Simone Biles.REUTERS

"We also have to focus on ourselves, because at the end of the day

we are also human,

" said Biles, "we have to protect our mind and body, instead of going out to do what the world wants us to do."

Biles, a four-time Olympic champion, revealed that she was not in the right state of mind to continue the competition.

"Physically, I feel good," he explained to NBC's TODAY program after retiring.

"Emotionally, that varies according to time and moment. Coming here to the Olympics and being the main star is not an easy thing. So

we are managing it day by day

and we'll see," he said.

The heartfelt confession of Biles, who follows in the footsteps of tennis player Naomi Osaka this year to withdraw from Roland Garros and Wimbledon tournaments to protect her mental health, put the focus of global attention back on this

often taboo issue

. on the sport.

"I hope that people feel identified and understand that it

is okay not to be well

, and that it is okay to talk about it. There are people who can help, and there is usually light at the end of any tunnel," he wrote in Time magazine.

Biles claimed, in fact, that she was inspired by Osaka and that, to anyone struggling to overcome something, she would tell them to prioritize their own needs.

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"

Put mental health first

, because if you don't, you're not going to enjoy your sport and you're not going to be as successful as you want. So sometimes it's okay to not even participate in the big competitions to focus on yourself. , because that shows how strong you really are as a competitor, rather than just fighting, "he said.

Olympic athletes compete this year in extremely unusual circumstances.

They face further isolation as the Games take place as the world remains mired in the coronavirus pandemic.

And since Tokyo is in a state of emergency, the presence of spectators has been prohibited in most tests.

"These Olympics have been really stressful," Biles said, "in general,

not having an audience is a very important factor

. It has been a very long week. It has been a long Olympic process. It has been a long year. Like this. that there are a lot of different variables, and I think we are a little stressed. We should be here having fun, and sometimes we are not. "

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After Team USA made a few mistakes during qualifying rounds, Biles wrote on Instagram Monday that it felt "like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders sometimes."

"I know I make it seem like the pressure doesn't affect me, but damn, it's hard sometimes!

The Olympics are not a joke

!" He wrote.

Dr. Leela R. Magavi, a psychiatrist who has frequently worked with students and professional athletes, explained that the social expectations of fans, the media and other sectors of society can make athletes feel that "

every step they take it will be significantly scrutinized

, and this type of pressure is so severe "that they may have trouble even concentrating on their daily activities.

Magavi pointed out that athletes like Biles, "who are so important" and are "essentially the symbol and representation of a country," can have so much

anticipatory anxiety

and face such enormous pressure to be perfect and never waver, that "In this way they lose their passion for sport, which was the reason they started practicing it."

Simone Biles during its premiere in Tokyo-2020.Natacha Pisarenko / AP

The specialist praised Biles for prioritizing his mental health over "social expectations."

"It really takes courage and emotional strength," he stressed.

Biles received an avalanche of support after his withdrawal.

Former Team USA gymnast Aly Raisman said it's important "to think about how much pressure has been on her, and

there's only one limit

that anyone can take."

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"She is human and I think sometimes people forget that, and Simone, like everyone else,

is doing the best she can,

" he said.

"I'm also thinking about the mental impact this has to have on Simone," Raisman continued.

"It's a lot of pressure and I've been watching how much pressure has been on her in the months leading up to the Games, and it's just devastating. I feel really bad," he said.

At Tuesday's press conference, Biles said she knew she had to step back to "

work on my conscience

" and give her teammates a chance to take over, so as not to hurt her medal options.

He competed in the first rotation of the team in the jump of colt, but did not execute the figure that he had planned.

Instead of somersaulting with 2.5 twists, he only did 1.5 pirouettes, in addition to needing to put one foot in front for not landing properly.

American gymnast Simone Biles during the team final at the Tokyo Olympics Gregory Bull / AP

"

I didn't want to risk a medal for the team,

" he said of his decision to retire.

"They've worked too hard for that, so I decided those girls had to go in and do the rest of the competition," he explained.

Its abandonment was decisive so that the United States did not take the gold.

Biles, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Grace McCallum eventually won silver, while the Russian Olympic Committee team went on to win gold.

The gymnast won five medals in Rio 2016, of which four were gold.