Texas deputy attorney general Aaron Reitz has apologized to Simone Biles after an offensive tweet he posted earlier this week after the gymnast withdrew from the all-around finals.
“My personal social media comments do not represent Attorney General Paxton or the Office of the Attorney General,” reads the statement. “In a moment of frustration and disappointment, I opined on subjects for which I am not adequately versed. That was an error. I can’t imagine what Simone Biles has gone through. Simone Biles is a true patriot and one of the greatest gymnasts of our time. I apologize to her, and wish her well.”
Reitz also took to Twitter to double down on his apology.
“I owe @Simone_Biles and apology. A big one,” Reitz wrote.
Earlier this week, Biles withdrew from Thursday’s individual all-around competition at the Olympics to focus on her mental health. Biles all withdrew from the team final.
Biles revealed that she was suffering from “the twisties.”
“Literally cannot tell up from down. It’s the craziest feeling ever. Not having an inch of control over your body. What’s even scarier is since I have no idea where I am in the air I also have NO idea how I’m going to land, or what I’m going to land on. Head/hands/feet/back,” she explained.
“I also have no idea how I landed on my feet on that vault because if you look at the pictures and my eyes you can see how confused I am as to where I am in the air. Thankfully I landed safe enough but I also don’t think some of you realize I was supposed to do a 2½ and I only completed 1½ twists before it looks like I got shot out of the air.”
Reitz’s offensive post included a video of Kerri Strug, a gymnast who competed with an ankle injury at the 1996 Olympic Games. “Contrast this with our selfish, childish national embarrassment, Simone Biles,” he captioned the clip.
