Simone Biles Criticizes Anti-Nike Tweet by Mary Bono, New U.S.A. Gymnastics Leader

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Simone Biles, a five-time Olympic medalist, criticized a tweet in which the interim president of U.S.A. Gymnastics used a marker to black out the Nike logo on her golf shoes.Credit…Tim Bradbury/Getty Images

A day after U.S.A. Gymnastics appointed an interim leader to help move the sport beyond months of tumult and scandal, the organization again found itself embroiled in controversy on Saturday — and facing criticism from one of the sport’s biggest stars.

The new leader, Mary Bono, came under fire for an anti-Nike tweet that she posted in September, days after the company announced an ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, the former N.F.L. quarterback who knelt during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police killings of black people.

As critics pledged to boycott Nike products, Ms. Bono shared a photo of herself using a marker to black out the Nike logo on her golf cleats.

Simone Biles, who won four gold medals and a bronze at the 2016 Olympics and who will compete for the United States in this year’s world championships, resurfaced the tweet with a critical post of her own on Saturday.

“*mouth drop*,” wrote Ms. Biles, who is sponsored by Nike. “don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything.”

By Saturday night, Ms. Bono had apologized and deleted the tweet.

“I deeply regret posting the tweet because I respect everyone’s views and their fundamental right to express them,” she said in a statement released by U.S.A. Gymnastics. “This in no way reflects how I will approach my position at U.S.A. Gymnastics. I will do everything I can to help change the culture and to work with the entire community to build an open, safe and positive environment.”