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    Gymnast talks foster care, soccer

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    It’s been a whirlwind week for Simone Biles.

    With her Gold Over America tour on a week-long hiatus, Biles revealed a partnership with Barefoot wine and was named the world’s best-selling athlete of the year by SportsPro. She attended the Los Angeles premiere of the second installment of her Netflix docu-series, “Simone Biles: Rising.” And on Thursday night, she donated $50,000 at a gala for Friends of Children, a nonprofit that provides mentors to children facing adversity — including those in the foster care system, as Biles once was.

    “It’s so important to me because I see myself in these kids and what they’re going through and growing up,” Biles told USA TODAY Sports. “… Sometimes the stats can be against you, but to have someone like me rooting for these kids and knowing that I’ve been through some of the same similar situations that these kids have been through and come out on top really inspires them. “

    During an interview at a luxury hotel in Santa Monica, California, Biles spoke with USA TODAY Sports visual journalist Sandy Hooper about her philanthropic work and a wide range of other topics.

    Simone Biles on supporting children in foster care

    Biles has been open about her experience with the foster care system. She said she spent about three years in foster care before she turned 6 because her birth mother, Shannon, struggled with drugs and alcohol.

    “Growing up in foster (care), the statistics are against you and it is what it is,” she said Thursday. “But other than that, rising above — obviously I had my family help, but I am who I am today because of foster care. And so I want the kids to cherish and remember that and that you can do anything. . It doesn’t matter.”

    Biles said she felt more strongly about the importance of talking about her past as she got older. She also tried to be available for questions from foster children, she said, to act as a resource and inspiration.

    “Most of the time they’re stupid questions because they’re so young and curious,” she said when asked about her interactions with the kids. “How old are you? How tall are you? Do you have a boyfriend?… He doesn’t usually get too serious with kids, except for the older ones. They want to know why I did it, what I’m into” the kind, but they are funny.

    Simone Biles in her Netflix documentary

    “Simone Biles: On the Rise” is a four-episode docuseries covering her return to competition and journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics. It was released in two parts, with the first two episodes debuting before the Games and the last two episodes arriving on Netflix on Friday.

    Biles said the pre-Olympic release of the docuseries brought no pressure.

    “I actually ended up watching the episodes before and talked to my therapist about it,” she said. “And yes, the timing was a little risky, but I knew that I had already done all the mental work, that I was okay with him showing up when he did.”

    Biles also filmed a docuseries leading up to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She said the process for “Simone Biles: Rising” was significantly easier without the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic and it helped to have the same director, Katie Walsh .

    “The team that I’ve worked with for so many years, I’m very comfortable with them. So it was very easy,” Biles said.

    Simone Biles on Jordan Chiles’ call

    In an unusual twist, Biles’ Netflix documentary also led to footage that could help her teammate Jordan Chiles retain her bronze medal on the floor exercise at the Paris Games.

    Chiles recently appealed to the highest court in Switzerland hoping to resolve a dispute over whether the scoring inquiry he submitted was submitted after the 60-second time limit. After the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled it was filed late, footage from the documentary appears to show the investigation was timely, giving Chiles an avenue of appeal.

    When asked about her reaction to learning that footage from her documentary could help Chiles, Biles demurred.

    “It’s not my thing to talk about, but we’re going to support Jordan as much as we can and we’re going to love her and lift her up because it’s a tough situation,” she said.

    Simone Biles on her husband’s Olympic interest

    With the Olympics behind her, Biles said she’s excited to have more time to pursue other interests — and cheer on her husband, Jonathan Owens, who is a safety for Chicago Bears.

    Biles has not said whether she plans to compete at the next Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, although it is now possible that her husband will be there. Flag football will be included in the Olympic sports program in 2028 for the first time, and there are ongoing discussions about whether NFL players could or should compete for Team USA.

    “I think it would be very interesting. I think it would be a lot of fun,” Biles said when asked about her husband and his Bears teammates potentially competing in 2028. “I know my husband and his teammates have talked a little bit. a lot about it, but it’s a lot of sacrifice. It’s summer, so I know it would be really hard on their bodies. But they’re really excited about it, so we will see.

    Contributing: Nancy Armor and Sandy Hooper

    Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on social media @Tom_Schad.

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