Simone Biles, born in 1997 and now 28 years old, is back in the spotlight — and not just for the gravity-defying gymnastics that made her a global icon. At just 4 ft 8 inches (142 cm), Biles may be small in stature, but she stands taller than anyone in her sport with an astonishing 11 Olympic medals, seven of them gold. In late 2025, however, the world’s most decorated gymnast has been making headlines for far more than her record-breaking routines. From her high-profile marriage to NFL safety Jonathan Owens in April 2023 to openly discussing the cosmetic procedures she’s chosen to undergo, Biles has embraced a level of transparency that keeps fans fascinated and the media buzzing.
But the recent wave of attention isn’t just about personal milestones. Simone Biles’ name has been linked to everything—from her reported $25 million net worth to her triumphant run toward the Paris 2024 Olympics, alongside a swirl of viral rumors, social-media arguments, and public debates about athletes’ private lives. With so many storylines developing at once, Simone Biles has become a cultural conversation all on her own. In this article, we break down everything making news around her right now, from confirmed facts and public reactions to the truth behind the internet’s wildest claims.
Body Image and Plastic Surgery
This fall Simone Biles made headlines by “opening up” about cosmetic procedures she underwent. In an interview with People, the four-time Olympic gold medalist confirmed she had three surgeries: a breast augmentation, a lower-eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) to fix chronic under-eye bags, and a small ear surgery to repair damage from a childhood accident. The surprise came when Biles admitted she chose implants not out of insecurity but out of self-love. “It’s just feeling good about yourself and loving yourself,” she said of the breast implants, adding she’s “always been very vocal about that” stance. In other words, Biles has “no shame” about her decision.
As she put it, she tries to be “open, honest and relatable” with fans, so she wanted people to know why she did it. She even joked about her “Biles eye bags,” noting they’re hereditary in her family.
Simone Biles emphasized that her surgeries were entirely personal choices, not attempts to fix a flaw. “Not that I didn’t like the way I looked or the way I felt,” she said, “it’s just something that I notice a little bit more because I live in this body—I’m just so used to it.” Health experts note that lower blepharoplasty (the eye surgery she had) simply removes excess skin under the eyes, and Biles said it was a “big flaw” she was ready to fix. Biles stressed that her goal was not to make anyone insecure but to inspire others with her honesty.
“I also think it shows young girls that they have the right to their own choices, whatever they are, with no shame,” she added, noting how social media often creates unrealistic comparisons. “Social media is not real, so that’s why I try to be as transparent as possible,” she said, recalling how she openly admitted getting Botox on her 27th birthday and not liking the results. By speaking openly, Biles is pushing back against stigma and encouraging self-confidence—reminding fans that even an elite gymnast deserves to feel good in her own skin.
Paris 2024: Medals and Floor Routine
Simone Biles continues to add to her legacy with stellar performances at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She helped the U.S. women win team gold and then captured her second Olympic all-around title, making her the first woman ever to win this event twice. By the end of the Games, Biles had amassed 11 Olympic medals (7 gold) – extending her record as the most decorated gymnast in Olympic history. She also has over 30 World Championship titles to her name. Commentators noted that at age 27 she was the oldest American female gymnast to compete since the 1950s, yet she showed little rust. In Paris she kept her trademark calm under pressure, helping Team USA qualify first in every event.
One highlight was Biles’s floor exercise. In the floor final she performed a breathtaking routine filled with her signature high-difficulty skills. Ultimately Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade upset her by a narrow margin, leaving Biles with silver on floor. The medal ceremony drew attention – all three women on the podium bowed down to Andrade in respect – a moment Biles and teammates later described as “giving flowers” to an opponent. Afterward Biles reflected with pride: in Paris she walked away with four medals and could honestly say she had achieved “more than my wildest dreams”.
As NBC noted, whether she stays for 2028 or not, Simone Biles’s 41 world and Olympic medals will have secured her place in sports history. In summary, the 2024 Games added to her medal haul (now 11 total) and showed that even amidst gossip and controversy, Simone Biles remains at the very top of her sport.
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Social Media Feuds and Rumors
Off the competition mat, Simone Biles has been embroiled in a series of online conflicts and rumors. A major incident involved ex-college swimmer Riley Gaines, a vocal critic of transgender athletes in women’s sports. In June 2025 Gaines posted a tweet mocking a transgender high school player, which Simone Biles publicly condemned. The Olympic champion lashed back on Twitter, calling Gaines “truly sick” and “a sore loser”. Biles argued that targeting a trans teenager was wrong and urged empathy and inclusion.
But her sharp words backfired when critics accused her of bullying. Two days later Biles issued a public apology “for getting personal with Riley,” admitting in a follow-up post that she “didn’t have the answers” to such a complex issue. She wrote that people “start with empathy and respect” when discussing transgender athletes. In other words, she stood by her overall point (supporting fair yet inclusive rules) while acknowledging she regretted the tone of her comments.
The Gaines feud sparked wider reactions. Conservative media outlets ran stories about Simone Biles’s online clash, and some Fox News hosts even mocked her apology. (One co-host on The Five sneered at Biles for being “mentally weak” after saying sorry.) At the same time, many sports fans and athletes rallied to Biles’s side, praising her for defending an underdog. Biles herself has since clarified that her frustration was with the situation, not Gaines personally. The controversy highlighted how social media pressure can spiral – but also showed Biles willing to own up to a mistake. “These are sensitive, complicated issues,” she wrote, “and I truly don’t have the answers or solutions”.
Many observers noted that despite the backlash, Biles remains focused on her ideals of respect and inclusion. But that wasn’t the only rumor swirling. In mid-2025 false stories about Biles went viral online. One Facebook post claimed “Simone Biles has been suspended from Team USA” over the Gaines comments. Fact-checkers quickly debunked this: the post was satire by a known troll page. USA Gymnastics confirmed no such suspension ever happened.
Another hoax claimed Simone Biles had responded to the September 2025 death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk with an angry blog post. In reality, Biles never commented on Kirk’s death. The Times of India fact-check noted that the viral “blog” was entirely fabricated by AI. Biles herself has remained silent on Kirk (she last responded to him years ago) and did not mock him after his death.
Finally, tabloids even reported (falsely) that she was retiring or pregnant. Biles put those rumors to rest as well. She took to social media in mid-2025 to insist she was “not pregnant” and had “never had a baby,” calling the pregnancy news “fake news” generated by AI gossip. In sum, none of the sensational claims – suspension, pregnancy, or secret tirades – were true. The real Simone Biles remains very much in the game and, as she put it, focused on training, family, and her own well-being.
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Personal Life and Family
Away from headlines, Simone Biles’s personal life is full of family and support. She married NFL safety Jonathan Owens on April 22, 2023; the couple now lives together in Texas and even bought property to build a new home. Before meeting Owens, Biles was in a long-term relationship with gymnast Stacey Ervin Jr. from 2017 until 2020. The news of her engagement and wedding made sports news, but Biles has always kept her romantic life relatively private beyond sharing a few photos.
(Image Source: People.com)
Simone Biles grew up in a tight-knit family environment that has nurtured her career. In fact, her parents are also her adoptive grandparents: Ron and Nellie Biles adopted Simone (and her younger sister, Adria) when Simone was 6 years old. Ron and Nellie, a former Air Force air-traffic controller and nurse respectively, had four children of their own and quickly embraced Simone and her sisters after a challenging early childhood for the young gymnast. The couple — now in their 70s — are often seen cheering from the stands at competitions, beaming as their “little girl” competes.
Simone Biles has cited her grandparents’ love and stability as key to her success. (Her two older siblings are being raised by relatives in Ohio.) As NBC Insider notes, Biles’s family presence is a familiar sight at events; her parents’ pride has been a constant from Rio 2016 to Paris 2024. Even as rumors swirled online, those closest to Simone have remained focused on supporting her – whether that means applauding her latest gold medal or her decision to talk candidly about breast implants.
Simone Biles Legacy and Net Worth
Simone Biles’s impact goes far beyond medals. Financially, she is at the top of her game. Forbes reported that in 2023 Biles earned about $7.1 million (mostly from sponsorships), and she now ranks as the world’s richest gymnast with an estimated net worth of $25 million (as of 2025). In fact, Forbes recently listed her as the 16th richest female athlete globally.
Biles’s income comes from dozens of lucrative deals – she has worked with Visa, United Airlines, Athleta (she left Nike for values-aligned Athleta in 2021), Uber Eats, and many others. She even plans to open a restaurant. These ventures, along with savvy investments (like real estate), mean her wealth will likely keep growing even after she hangs up her grips.
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Biles’ Impact on Mental Health in Sports
Just as important, Simone Biles is redefining athletic greatness. Three years ago she shocked the world by withdrawing from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic all-around final, citing the dangerous “twisties” and her mental health needs. That move sparked a global conversation. Biles later explained that in Tokyo she chose self-preservation over a chance at another medal, emphasizing that her well-being was worth more than any podium finish. Since then she has used her platform to destigmatize mental health challenges.
In interviews and public appearances she speaks openly about anxiety and depression, and she even partnered with a mental health app (Cerebral) to reach young people. As one commentator put it, Biles’s honesty made fans realize that even Olympic champions are human. Today she encourages the next generation to set healthy boundaries: “I had to do what was right for me,” she said of her Tokyo decision, driving home that courage can mean knowing your limits.
From her record-breaking vaults (several gymnastics moves now bear her name) to speaking out on sensitive issues, Simone Biles remains a compelling figure on and off the podium. She has shown that success can come with self-care and authenticity – whether that’s demanding to be treated fairly in sport, admitting to a breast augmentation, or simply focusing on her health. In Biles’s own words, she tries to be “open, honest and relatable”. For a fan base that has watched her grow up on television, this latest chapter – championing a “no shame” attitude about her body and standing up for her beliefs – only adds to the allure of an already legendary career.
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