A lot of excitement and hope goes into each Olympic meet. People tune in to the channels rooting for their country and the athletes representing the nations. However, these expectations can have major implications on athletes’ well-being. And Simone Biles had to confront this during the Tokyo Olympics. But various athletes came to her support, including Brittney Griner, during these testing times.

When the gymnast decided to withdraw from her events at the meet, she initially faced backlash from fans. But she stood firm in her resolve and did not give in to the pressure.

Brittney Griner expresses support for Simone Biles

In the days following the event, Biles faced jeers from her fans. However, many athletes came forward to extend their support. Among them was Griner who represented the WNBA team, Phoenix Mercury.

The athlete was one of the first to come to her support. She could relate to Biles? position; she had been through a similar ordeal a few months before. Expressing her support for Biles, she said, “I feel like I relate to [Biles] more than I probably ever even thought of.”

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Griner added, “People look at us and our accolades and think, ‘Nothing could possibly be wrong; your life is perfect.’ But that’s not the case. We’re humans, and we fought through things to get to where we are.”

She understands that competing in such a prominent event comes with its own set of challenges. Extending her support, Griner said, “Being sure you’re in a great mental state of mind isn’t the easiest thing, especially here at the Olympics. You see that everything is heightened. The pressure is heightened, the pride is heightened.?

?Wanting to represent your country and do everything you possibly can to win is everywhere. For us as athletes, we feel that,” the basketball player continued.

The basketball star also took a break from her sport following similar concerns

Griner left the WNBA bubble citing personal reasons in August 2020. After returning, she spoke about her break from professional basketball, stating it as a much-needed respite. Moreover, she said that it worked ?wonders? for the athlete in managing her mental well-being.

Following her leave mid-season, the Phoenix Mercury seemed to struggle for the rest of the season. However, the player returned the next season to start with newfound vigor. The season proved to be one of her best.

She ended the season, finishing second in the MVP voting. Moreover, she won a spot on the AP All-WNBA first team, leading them to the semifinals.

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Currently, the athlete is in a detention facility just outside Moscow. It has been almost five months since she has spent her time in the facility.