A feud in American gymnastics involving superstar Simone Biles has escalated over social media.

Biles’ monumental comeback at Paris 2024 has been nothing short of epic, and that’s a fact she’s well and truly aware of.

But a recent message issued to her 8.9 million Instagram followers, at first glance, doesn’t read that way – until you delve deeper into some past eyebrow-raising remarks made by MyKayla Skinner, who is Biles’ former teammate.

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“Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions,” Biles, 27, wrote on Wednesday alongside photos of a jubilant American women’s gymnastics team celebrating their gold medal.

Biles’ cryptic caption is what some believe is a jab at Skinner, who just weeks ago had to issue an apology for publicly criticising the “work ethic” of the Team USA gymnasts.

In the early hours of Thursday morning (AEST) Biles again took to social media to reveal she had been blocked – presumably by Skinner.

A comment written underneath the photos of Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera holding up the American flag seemingly confirmed Biles’ subtle shade, with retired artistic gymnast McKayla Maroney weighing in.

“It doesn’t get more iconic than this … she f’d around n found out [for real],” Maroney commented, referincing the team’s nickname.

“Feels like I need to apologise just to redeem my first name.”

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In early July, Skinner claimed in a YouTube video that the current American women’s gymnastics team doesn’t “work as hard” and doesn’t have the “talent or depth” of the women’s gymnasts who came before them.

“Coaches can’t get on athletes which in some ways is really good but at the same time, to get to where you need to be in gymnastics you do have to be … a little aggressive, a little intense,” Skinner alleged in the video.

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Skinner partially credited SafeSport, which is an independent organisation designed to respond to and prevent “sexual, physical, and emotional abuse” in the United States Olympic and Paralympic teams, for why she believes current gymnasts have changed their training approach.

After Skinner’s initial remarks, Biles wrote on Threads that “not everyone needs a mic and a platform.”

Skinner then issued a statement apologising for her remarks after the backlash, saying via X (formerly Twitter), “I want to formally apologise to Team USA and to our gymnastic community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the gymnastics Olympic trials.”

“It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work,” she continued.

“Your hard work and dedication has paid off and I congratulate each and every one of you.”

“Upon reflection, I was comparing the ‘Márta Era’ to the current era,” Skinner wrote, referencing the allegations made against controversial coaching couple Márta Károlyi and Béla Károlyi.

“I am coming to terms that I have not fully dealt with the emotional and verbal abuse I endured under Márta that perhaps led to my hurtful comments. I take full responsibility for what I said and I deeply apologise.

“It is most important to me that the sport I love continue down the path of healing and ensures a positive environment for all,” her statement concluded.

“I wish you all the very best in Paris. I will be cheering you all on! Go Team USA!”

Biles and Skinner were both members of Team USA for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, with Skinner travelling as Biles’ alternate in 2016, and then taking Biles’ place in 2020 when Biles dropped out due to the “twisties”.

On Tuesday, Biles became the most decorated American Olympic gymnast of all time when the women’s team won gold.

Skinner, meanwhile, retired after Tokyo 2020, which saw her take home a silver medal.