Home / Sports / Biles Mistaken for Athletes: A Day of Olympic Confusion
Biles Mistaken for Athletes: A Day of Olympic Confusion
12 Jul
Summary
- Simone Biles was misidentified as Dominique Dawes and Sha'Carri Richardson.
- She previously called out a publication for using another gymnast's photo.
- Biles has openly discussed experiencing racism in gymnastics.
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles reported on July 12, 2026, that she was misidentified as two other prominent Black athletes, Dominique Dawes and Sha'Carri Richardson, before 6 AM. This instance of mistaken identity follows previous public call-outs by Biles regarding similar occurrences.
In 2023, Biles addressed The Wall Street Journal for publishing an article about her with a photo of fellow Black gymnast Shilese Jones. The publication subsequently corrected the error. Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, has been transparent about her personal experiences with racism.
Speaking on the Today show in 2020, Biles recalled not noticing racism until 2013 after an Italian gymnast's comment following her historic win as the first Black woman to secure the all-around title at the World Championships. Biles emphasized that such experiences are common for Black athletes and encouraged them to persevere.
Biles believes racism is a daily reality for many Black and colored athletes. She advocates for overcoming these challenges, inspiring young athletes to pursue greatness regardless of their background or the obstacles they face.
