Olympics

The "Athlete Of The Year" isn't Super Bowl champ Tom Brady or gold medal-winning gymnast Suni Lee ... it's Simone Biles, according to Time Magazine, who ironically receives the accolade for NOT performing.

It's a controversial pick (check Twitter) by Time ... who selected the 24-year-old, 4x Olympic gold medalist as the recipient of the prestigious honor.

Of course, Biles pulled out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after struggling with mental health issues, including the "Twisties" -- where a gymnast becomes disoriented in the air (dangerous when you're tumbling in the air) -- causing her to pull out of the Games.

At the time, Biles tearfully explained her decision to withdraw, explaining she was seeing a therapist to help battle her "demons," saying "I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being."

Biles was widely celebrated by fellow athletes and fans across the country for putting a spotlight on mental health.

However, there were also detractors who say Biles flat-out quit on her team and country ... insisting there's nothing to celebrate.

Count teammate Suni Lee -- who recently was named "Athlete Of The Year" by Sports Illustrated (along with swimmer Caeleb Dressel) -- firmly on the side of those who say Biles positively changed sports forever.

“What Simone did changed the way we view our well-being, 100%. It showed us that we are more than the sport, that we are human beings who also can have days that are hard. It really humanized us.”

And, Biles is adamant she wouldn't change a thing about how she handled Tokyo.

“I was torn because things weren’t going the way I wanted," Simone told Time, saying, "But looking back, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

The United States will not send an official delegation to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, President Joe Biden and the White House announced Monday.

The decision to withdraw from the Olympic games is a statement against China's "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

The Biden administration told reporters in November that they were "considering" a diplomatic boycott of the '22 Beijing Olympics ... and after allegations of forced labor and human rights abuses in China's western region of Xinjiang continued, #46 put his foot down.

Psaki said at a White House briefing Monday that Biden was sending a "clear message" that the U.S. will not tolerate the alleged human rights abuses in China ... adding that things cannot be "business as usual" there.

The move from the White House is a deviation from the norm ... it's tradition for the U.S. and other nations to send high-profile delegates to represent their respective countries at the games. Biden's wife, Jill Biden, participated in this past summer's Olympics in Tokyo.

As for U.S. athletes ... they'll still be allowed to compete in the Olympics -- and Psaki said they'll have the Biden administration's "full support." Psaki, though, said the administration would not be "contributing to the fanfare of the games."

Tyreek Hill says he's still gunning to race Usain Bolt ... telling TMZ Sports he's so confident he'll beat the track legend, he's down to put his Super Bowl ring on the line!!

"Me and you can just meet at a local high school," Hill said in a message to Bolt. "I can come to Jamaica. We can get it poppin' on the YouTube. Huh!?"

If you're unfamiliar, Bolt and Hill have gone back and forth about a potential race for months -- with Hill initially calling the sprinter out earlier this year.

Hill -- arguably the fastest man in the NFL -- accused Bolt of ducking him ... and told him to "stop hiding" in a fiery social media post.

Bolt eventually fired back, telling us he'd be willing to put his gold medal on the line in a race if Hill was willing to put his SB LIV ring in the mix.

And, when we spoke with Hill a few days ago -- he told us he's ready to meet those conditions to get the race moving.

"Right now, it's getting kind of personal," Hill said. "Right now, it's about my ego right now. Because I feel like he just tried me."

Hill continued, "First of all, my momma always told me you never let nobody talk trash to you if they're wearing a tight shirt like that. Like, his Puma shirt was choking him. I'm not fittin' to allow that to happen."

Even though he's been retired for years, Bolt's still got to be the favorite in the race (right?) -- after all, Terrell Owens told us he thinks it'd actually be a laugher.

President Joe Biden says the United States is "considering" a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics ... as a result of China's human rights abuse issues.

It's tradition for the U.S. and other nations to send high-profile delegates to represent their respective countries at the Games -- Biden's wife, Jill Biden, participated in this past summer's Olympics in Tokyo.

But, as concerns continue to grow over China's human rights issues ... many across both sides of the political aisle have petitioned the Biden administration to boycott the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas addressed the situation on Wednesday ... saying, "I call on the Biden Administration to mount a complete and total boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics -- no athletes, no administration officials, no corporate sponsors."

Even the Celtics' Enes Kanter -- an outspoken critic of #46 -- challenged Biden to maintain his campaign promise and "prioritize human rights" before he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

While hosting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Oval Office on Thursday, POTUS wouldn't go as far as to say a total boycott was something the U.S. was considering ... but a diplomatic boycott is on the table.

If Biden and the White House were to engage in a diplomatic boycott, it would mean the U.S. would not send an official government delegation to the Games ... but athletes would still be able to participate.

Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee says she was a recent target of anti-Asian hate ... claiming she was pepper-sprayed and had racist slurs hurled at her.

18-year-old Lee detailed the altercation in an interview with Pop Sugar released this week ... saying she was waiting for an Uber with her friends -- all of Asian descent -- after a night out, when a car sped by and yelled phrases like "ching chong" and "go back to where they came from."

Lee -- the first Hmong American Olympic gold medalist -- says one person even sprayed her arm with pepper spray before speeding off.

The "Dancing with the Stars" contestant opened up on the incident -- which happened a week before the interview -- saying, "I was so mad, but there was nothing I could do or control because they skirted off," she told the outlet.

The number of hate crimes directed at Asians in America has risen in recent years ... with a study at California State University, San Bernardino reporting a 150% increase in 2020.

"I didn't do anything to them," Lee added, "and having the reputation, it's so hard because I didn't want to do anything that could get me into trouble. I just let it happen."

Famously tatted Team USA superstar Caeleb Dressel just got some new ink -- in the form of a MASSIVE leg piece that took 14 HOURS to complete!!

Remember, TMZ Sports spoke with the 7-time gold medalist fresh off dominating the 2020 Olympic games back in August ... and he hinted he was looking to add to his trademark body art.

Now, we know just what the 25-year-old was envisioning ... showing off a wild Western-themed piece complete with a skeleton cowboy, cacti, an eagle and flowers.

The tat is huge ... so naturally, it took more than half a day to finish.

"It was a long 14 hours but I had some great company with @travisbrucetattoos," Dressel said via Instagram on Thursday.

"Things got weird for sure but we had good music and good conversation, can’t ask for more than that. Thanks for bringing this idea to life."

We do have one question, though -- how is the bathroom break sitch??

It's been over two months since the Olympics, but Simone Biles says she's still dealing with the "twisties" ... adding that she's straight-up "scared to do gymnastics"

Biles was hit with the issue in Tokyo in July -- explaining to her followers at the time that a mental block was preventing her from controlling her body while doing her most famous mid-air stunts.

Biles pulled out of multiple events due to it all ... though most figured she'd be able to return back to normal after a break.

But, in an emotional interview Thursday morning with "Today" show host Hoda Kotb ... Biles said she still can't fly through the air like she used to.

"It's not the same," the 24-year-old said, fighting back tears. "To do something that I've done forever, and just not be able to do it because of everything I've gone through is really crazy because I love this sport so much. It's hard. I'm sorry."

She added, "I'm still scared to do gymnastics."

Biles has been performing in the Gold Over America Tour the past few weeks ... though she said she's kept her routines simple and has avoided any twisting.

The gymnastics legend, though, said she's sure her tricks will "come back" eventually ... telling Hoda in the meantime she's happy to "be a leader for the survivors."

"I'm happy to be a voice for them," Biles said. "We go through our own things. It's hard."

Agnes Tirop, an elite Kenyan long-distance runner who finished 4th at the Tokyo Olympics, was tragically found stabbed to death in her home, according to a Kenyan athletic commission.

She was only 25 years old.

According to reports, police are actively looking for Agnes' husband who hasn't been seen since her death.

The BBC is reporting Agnes' father called police Tuesday night, worried he could not reach his daughter.

Sadly, when police arrived at her home in Iten, Kenya, they found Tirop laying in bed, surrounded by a pool of blood, according to the UK outlet.

Police say the runner had what looked like a stab wound to her neck ... and that's what they believe caused her death. She also reportedly had a stab wound to her stomach.

Agnes' husband was not at the home when they arrived ... and has not been heard from since authorities arrived on the scene.

Tirop was one of the best long-distance runners in the world. In fact, just last month she set a women's world record at a 10-kilometer race in Germany. Agnes also took home bronze medals at the World Athletic Championships in 2017 and 2019.

"Athletics Kenya are distraught to learn about the untimely death of World 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop," the country's athletics body said in a statement.

Everyone from Adidas to Kenya's president weighed in on the tragic loss.

"It is unsettling, utterly unfortunate and very sad that we've lost a young and promising athlete who, at a young age of 25 years, had brought our country so much glory," Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's president said in a statement.

"The Adidas family is deeply saddened by the tragic news about Agnes Jebet Tirop. Agnes was an incredible person, a record-breaking athlete and a beloved member of our family. She will be greatly missed by us all and her legacy will forever live on in our memory," the sportswear giant tweeted.

Rest in peace.

Olympic gold medalist diver Tom Daley says he was pressured to lose weight in order to perform better in 2012 ... claiming it was "hammered" into him that he was overweight.

The 27-year-old British diver opened up about his eating disorder this week ... saying he would make himself throw up and constantly weigh himself in order to maintain a smaller figure.

Daley -- who won bronze at the 2012 and 2016 Games before earning gold in Tokyo this summer -- says it's always been hard for him as a man to open up about his eating disorder, he revealed to The Guardian.

Daley says it's challenging as an athlete to talk about his struggle with body image ... because let's face it, most people would love to have his body.

"You have these body issues as an athlete. Lots of people would look at athletes and be like, 'What are you talking about? You’re an athlete, you’re in shape, you have nothing to worry about.'"

Daley says the pressure to lose weight didn't come from the media or Internet trolls -- it was his peers in the diving community.

"My body image [issues] came from within my sport – it was hammered into me that I was overweight and needed to lose weight in order to perform."

U.S. Olympian Klete Keller admitted he spent nearly an hour in the U.S. Capitol building on January 6th, pleading guilty to felony obstruction of an official proceeding ... and now faces years in prison.

Remember, 39-year-old Keller -- a 2x gold medalist and former teammate of Michael Phelps -- was caught on video inside the halls of the capitol during the raid.

In fact, KK was wearing a Team U.S.A. jacket ... which helped others identify him once the footage was posted online by reporters.

Keller, who was hit with 7 charges stemming from the incident, appeared in person at a Washington D.C. District Court and pled guilty to the obstruction charge.

It's a charge that could carry decades in prison ... however, it's likely Keller ultimately gets sentenced to about 2 years in federal prison.

While addressing the court, Klete said he tried to erase all traces he was present at the raid, admitting he destroyed his phone and threw away the jacket he was photographed wearing.

Keller represented America as part of the U.S. Swim Team at the Olympic Games in '00, '04, '08. He was the anchor on the 4x200 meter freestyle relay team in 2004 ... and famously held off Australian superstar Ian Thorpe to narrowly secure the top spot on the podium.

Simone Biles broke down while testifying about Larry Nassar in front of a group of senators on Capitol Hill ... choking back tears while explaining how U.S. Gymnastics and other agencies failed her and other abuse victims.

Biles, along with fellow former USA gymnasts McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman, told their stories in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington D.C. on Thursday ... and understandably, it's still an incredibly difficult topic to discuss.

"I am also a survivor of sexual abuse," Simone opened her statement, continuing, "and I believe without a doubt that the circumstances that led to my abuse and allowed it to continue are directly the result that organizations created by Congress to oversee and protect me as an athlete, USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee failed to do their jobs."

Biles then quoted Nelson Mandela, before getting emotional while saying she never wanted another child to endure abuse.

Of course, Nassar was convicted of sexually abusing hundreds of women and girls ... and effectively received life in prison -- getting sentenced to 175 years behind bars.

But, the hearing wasn't directly about Nassar's deplorable behavior ... it was held to discuss the FBI's failures with respect to their investigation into the team USA doctor, after a government watchdog group concluded the country's top federal law enforcement agency didn't adequately respond to the allegations.

And, the gymnasts didn't hold back when taking on the bureau.

“We suffered and continue to suffer because no one at FBI, [U.S. Gymnastics] or the [USOC] did what was necessary to protect us,” Biles told the committee.

“We have been failed and we deserve answers. Nassar is where he belongs, but those who enabled him deserve to be held accountable. If they are not, I am convinced that this will continue to happen to others across Olympic sports.”

"This is the largest case of sexual abuse in the history of American sport," Biles told the committee, adding, "It truly feels like the FBI turned a blind eye to us."

Maroney also went in on the FBI, saying ... "They had legal, legitimate evidence of child abuse and did nothing."

The U.S. gymnasts are still testifying on Capitol Hill.

As for Nassar, he's rotting in prison ... where he will remain for the rest of his life.

Winning Super Bowls and Olympic medals works wonders for your clout ... 'cause Tom Brady and Simone Biles are on Time's list of most influential people once again.

Of course, the esteemed list highlights the biggest activists, innovators, athletes and artists each year ... and in 2021, several sports stars were honored with the recognition.

Joining TB12 and Biles are Team USA gold medalist Suni Lee, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka, USA track legend Allyson Felix and L.A. Angels pitcher/slugger Shohei Ohtani.

Biles also graces one of the 7 different covers for the magazine ... which features a touching writeup from Serena Williams on the gymnast's highly publicized mental health battle at the 2020 Tokyo games.

"What she embodies truly reflects the endless potential of Black women." Williams says. "I wish I had her to look up to when I was younger and trying to realize my dreams."

"By living her truth so loudly and by championing mental health, she is setting new standards of beauty, strength and resilience, breaking down today’s image-obsessed stereotypes and encouraging others to do the same."

"Simone is a shining example of what success looks like when you let go of what the world thinks and gather your strength from yourself ... from your soul."

"I am personally responsible for all of Gable Steveson's right business decisions in his life and his gold medal and his Hodge trophy and his NCAA Division 1 Heavyweight championship."

Welp, that's wrestling legend Paul Heyman claiming ALL credit for everything positive the newly signed WWE superstar has done, telling Adam Glyn he's been behind it all.

"I had everything with Gable Steveson winning the Olympic gold medal. I arranged for Gable Steveson to train with Brock Lesnar at the University of Minnesota, which helped Gable Steveson win the NCAA Division 1 Heavyweight championship. Then he used my strategy to win the gold medal in the Olympics."

FYI, Gable won gold in Freestyle Wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics.

Heyman -- currently the special counsel for WWE Universal champ, Roman Reigns -- worked with Lesnar for years.

Of course, 21-year-old Steveson had a bunch of options after the Olympics ... but opted to sign a contract with WWE.

So, how does Heyman think Gable will fare in the squared circle?

"Now, we'll see how he does in WWE. He's not at quite the level of a Ronda Rousey or a Brock Lesnar, certainly not of the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns."

WWE is makin' a splash of its own ... 'cause it just signed 21-year-old Olympic gold medal winner Gable Steveson to its roster!!

"WWE today announced it has signed Olympic gold medalist and reigning NCAA wrestling champion Gable Steveson to an exclusive agreement," the company said.

"In the company's first-ever NIL deal, Steveson will join the WWE roster while defending his NCAA title for the University of Minnesota."

Of course, Steveson had a TON of options in addition to World Wrestling Entertainment ... multiple NFL teams reached out to Gable, and UFC honcho Dana White told us a few weeks back he planned on meeting with the Olympic hero as well.

Gable will still wrestle in college ... but it's unclear if the other options are now off the table, or if Steveson could also fight MMA if he so desires.

Either way, Steveson was PUMPED to officially put his pen to WWE paper ... saying Thursday, "Childhood dream accomplished.. I have  officially signed with the @WWE!!! Thank you for the opportunity!! LETS WORK"

As for how WWE stars will welcome him ... it seems it'll be with open arms -- 'cause just a few weeks ago, Seth Rollins told us he'd be down to train the Olympian!

Simone Biles is clapping back at her critics yet again ... this time shutting them down in savage fashion by saying, "I can't hear you over my 7 olympic medals."

Biles -- apparently still hearing from trolls for the way she pulled out of several events at last month's Tokyo Olympics -- posted the fiery message on social media over the weekend.

In the commentary, accompanied by a photo of the silver and bronze medals she won at this summer's Games, Biles insisted she is not a quitter.

"Can't believe it's already been a month," Biles said. "Definitely not the way I planned the Olympics going but I wouldn't change anything for the world 🤎."

"I'm proud of myself and the career I've had thus far. this Olympics doesn't erase the past accomplishments I've achieved nor does it define who I am as an athlete."

Biles continued, "I've pushed through so much the past couple years, the word quitter is not in my vocabulary. for some of you that may be how you define me but keep talking because I can't hear you over my 7 Olympic medals which tied me for the most decorated gymnast EVER as well as most decorated American gymnast."

As we previously reported, Biles said a mental block was caused her to have the "twisties" while competing in Tokyo.

The issues were so bad for the 24-year-old gymnast, she called them "petrifying" and feared she could hurt herself by competing.

Simone Biles has proven yet again that her G.O.A.T. status extends far off the gymnastics floor ... 'cause she just helped gift her Olympics teammate Suni Lee's father with a new wheelchair -- and the amazing gesture was all captured on video.

24-year-old Biles surprised Suni's dad, John, on the "Today" show on Wednesday with the present ... revealing a new, state-of-art electronic ride with a sweet video message.

"Hi, Mr. Lee, it's Simone," Biles told John before showing him the present. "I love your daughter, Suni, so much and I know how much she loves you."

"You have done so much for her so I reached out to my friends at the 'Today' show to see if we could do something special for you. Hope you like it!"

John -- who was paralyzed from the chest down in 2019 after falling off a ladder -- was thrilled with the gift ... shouting, "Oh, wow!" when he first put his eyes on it.

The new wheels are a significant upgrade from John's manually operated wheelchair ... with the "Today" show saying the souped-up ride will eventually be custom-fitted for all his needs.

John said the new chair with make his and his family's life much easier ... adding, "This is amazing. Thank you, guys!"