Simone Biles questions Olympic gymnastics tie-break rules after Paris 2024 result as LA 2028 decision nears

Simone Biles questions Olympic gymnastics tie-break rules after Paris 2024 result as LA 2028 decision nears

Simone Biles wants one simple change in Olympic gymnastics before the 2028 Los Angeles Games: if two athletes finish with the same score, both should receive the medal. Biles made the point after remembering her balance beam result at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she and Suni Lee both scored 13.100 but were ranked fifth and sixth. With Biles still unsure about returning in 2028, the rule remains one part of gymnastics she would like to see changed.

During an interview with HELLO! on September 11, Biles was asked whether there was a gymnastics rule she would change. Her answer was direct: “If it’s a tie, both people get the medal.”The comment connects to what happened in the balance beam final in Paris. Biles and Lee both finished with 13.100 points, but Biles was placed fifth because her execution score was higher. Biles had a 7.200 execution score, while Lee had 6.900. Both had the same difficulty score of 6.200.Under the rules used at Paris 2024, a tie in an apparatus final was first decided by the higher execution score. If that was also equal, the difficulty score was used. If the gymnasts were still level, they shared the same classification. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) listed those steps in its Paris 2024 rules.

The system has changed over the years. Tied gymnasts once could receive the same medal, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced tie-break procedures for judged sports after the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, with gymnastics adopting a new system in 1997.One of the clearest examples came at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nastia Liukin and He Kexin both scored 16.725 on uneven bars, but He won gold after a detailed tie-break process based on judging deductions. The Washington Post later described the system as an “obscure tiebreaker.”

Biles’ comments come while her own Olympic future is still open. The 29-year-old has not confirmed that she will compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Earlier this year, she said her chances were

“50-50” and explained that the mental side of another Olympic run would be a major part of her decision.She has also looked at Serena Williams’ recent return for inspiration. During the 2026 US Open, Biles said she planned to reach out to Williams for advice about coming back after stepping away from competition. Williams returned to Grand Slam competition in 2026 after leaving tennis following the 2022 US Open.Meanwhile, Biles has shown that she can still perform difficult gymnastics. In September, she returned to the World Champions Centre in Houston and posted videos of herself doing flips while joking that she was checking whether she “still got it.”At Paris 2024, Biles won four medals: three golds and one silver. She also finished fifth on beam after a fall. If she does return for LA 2028, she would be 31, but her decision will involve more than age or physical ability.