​Simone Biles revealed on her Instagram Stories that she was mistaken for two other prominent Black athletes in a single day. The Olympic gymnast explained that she was mistaken for Dominique Dawes twice and Sha’Carri Richardson once. Biles has long spoken out about being misidentified and the broader racism she has faced throughout her life.
In a Sunday, July 12 post, the 29-year-old wrote, “It’s not even 6am and I’ve already gotten called Dominique Dawes 2x and Sha’Carri [Richardson] once.” Dawes, now 49, is a retired Olympic gymnast, while Richardson, 26, is an Olympic track and field sprinter. Biles paired the message with a sunrise photo that appeared to be taken from a hotel balcony and finished the caption with a string of laughing-face emojis.
This isn’t the first time Biles has been misidentified as another Black athlete. In 2023, she criticized the Wall Street Journal for publishing an article about her that used a photo of Shilese Jones, a fellow Black gymnast. After Biles pointed out the error on X (formerly Twitter), the outlet apologized, saying, “We have corrected the photo and the story and on social media.”
Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, has been open about her experiences with racism within the sport. On the Today show in 2020, she said she didn’t fully recognize racism until 2013. While on the world stage, she recalled, it wasn’t always the athletic achievements making headlines; instead, it was remarks from others about race. She cited an incident at the 2013 World Championships in Belgium when Italian gymnast Carlotta Ferlito questioned her after Biles became the first Black woman to win the all-around title, suggesting that if they had darker skin, she might not have triumphed. Biles explained that the broader issue was that racism was a daily reality for many Black athletes.
She added that such bias is something many Black or racially marginalized athletes encounter in their careers. Yet she urged perseverance for younger generations who look up to them, emphasizing that appearance should not deter anyone from pursuing greatness. Biles encouraged young athletes to keep pushing forward and to use their platforms to inspire others, regardless of how they are perceived or labeled.
Throughout her career, Biles has demonstrated resilience in the face of misidentification and prejudice, using each moment to highlight the ongoing issues surrounding race in sports and to support aspiring athletes who may face similar challenges.