A home Olympics is an opportunity few athletes would willingly pass up, but for Simone Biles, the decision to compete at LA28 goes beyond the lure of another gold medal. After everything she has experienced in gymnastics, the seven-time Olympic champion knows that protecting her mental health must come before the pressure to return. Biles has yet to commit to Los Angeles, but her recent return to the gym has kept the possibility alive. While the thought of competing in front of her home crowd is tempting, the 29-year-old is determined to make the decision on her own terms.

During a recent interview on Good Morning America, Biles admitted that competing at a home Olympics would be difficult to turn down. Yet the 29-year-old knows that the decision involves much more than the excitement of performing before American fans. After everything she has experienced, she wants to be certain that returning to elite gymnastics is the right choice.

“I feel like it’s hard to turn down home Games, but at the end of the day, I need to weigh the present cons of what it’s really going to look like. So, I have to be really confident in that decision. So, I still say 50-50. I did see my coaches the other day, and we always talk about it and what that journey would look like, and I’ve been in the gym, like flipping around and seeing what the air awareness looks like. So, it’s fun to go and flip,” said Biles.

Although Biles has not announced a comeback, her latest comments suggest she has begun exploring the possibility. That small update could excite fans who have been waiting to see whether Biles will chase another Olympic appearance.

However, enjoying a few flips is a long way from preparing for the demands of an Olympic campaign. For now, she appears content to explore her options without placing unnecessary pressure on herself.

Her uncertainty was evident earlier this year, too. Speaking to CNN at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, Biles described her chances of competing in Los Angeles as roughly even. With the Games drawing closer, she acknowledged that she would eventually need to make a decision.

The appeal is undeniable. Biles has already represented the United States at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. A return in Los Angeles would give her the chance to compete at a fourth Olympics, this time in front of a home crowd. She already has 11 Olympic medals (including 7 gold medals) in her bag.

But the prospect of another medal is only one part of the equation. Biles has repeatedly emphasized that she will not return simply because people expect her to.

What will influence Simone Biles’ LA28 decision most?

For Biles, the biggest question is not whether she can regain her physical form. She believes her coaches can help her prepare for competition if she chooses to pursue that path. Instead, her mental well-being will play a crucial role in determining whether she commits to another Olympic cycle.

“Mental health plays a big role in it because, physically, my coaches will get me in shape,” she said in an earlier interview. “I can get myself in shape. We believe in that ability. We’re really thankful that I’m still healthy.”

Her experience at Tokyo 2020 remains central to that outlook. During the Games, Biles withdrew from several events after experiencing the “twisties,” a dangerous loss of spatial awareness that can leave gymnasts unable to orient themselves safely in the air. The decision brought mental health in elite sport into the global spotlight.

By Paris 2024, she had returned to the Olympic stage with renewed confidence, winning three gold medals and a silver. That comeback reinforced a lesson she has since stressed: physical readiness means little if an athlete’s mental health is not in the right place.

Biles reiterated that principle during an appearance in Buenos Aires in October, explaining that she was taking time away from the gym because physical and mental health needed to remain aligned. She also made clear that she would be part of the 2028 Games in some capacity, even if she ultimately watched from the stands.

There are personal considerations, too. Biles and her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, have spoken about wanting to start a family. Another Olympic campaign would require considerable time, travel, and sacrifice, making the decision about more than gymnastics alone.

Still, the possibility of a home Olympics carries a special pull. Biles knows what it means to compete on the biggest stage, but Los Angeles offers a different kind of opportunity: one last chance to experience the Games in front of her home fans.

Whether she takes that chance remains uncertain. Her latest gym sessions are not confirmation of a comeback, and she has made no promise to compete for another gold medal.

For now, Biles is giving herself the time to work out what she truly wants. If she returns, it will have to be for the right reasons – and on her own terms. That decision may take time, but her willingness to explore the possibility has kept the door to LA28 open.