On Thursday, Simone Biles, along with USWNT star Megan Rapinoe and 15 others, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House. Although her achievements in gymnastics made her a prime candidate, many think perhaps Michael Phelps was more deserving of the honor.

According to the White House, there are reasons beyond sporting achievements for Biles’s selection. She furthered the conversation around mental health in sports and advocated for children in foster care and victims of sexual assault. Some Michael Phelps fans, however, are not pleased with that explanation.

Michael Phelps’ achievements and a long career

No one in the world can beat Michael Phelps’ record in medal tallies. The swimmer has 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold, won across 4 Olympic Games. Phelps gave a masterclass in what it means to dominate a sport.

In all, Phelps has 94 medals in major international swimming competitions, an astonishing tally of 69 gold, 16 silver, and 9 bronze medals. The swimming GOAT has held the 400m individual medley record since the 2008 Beijing Olympics and has broken multiple records throughout his career. He is one of the greatest athletes ever.

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But he is not all about the pool. After the 2008 Olympics, he started the Michael Phelps Foundation. According to the website, it promotes “healthy, active lives, especially for children, primarily by expanding the opportunities for participation in the sport of swimming.” Phelps battled with depression and has opened up about struggling with suicidal thoughts. 

“How Terrible Is the World”-Michael Phelps’ Mother Was Once Deeply Hurt to See Her Son in Crisis

He does not shy away from sharing his story so that others can learn from his struggles. “Hopefully, I can save a life. I can help somebody else because I know that the feelings that I have, I had, what I go through every single day, every single week, every single month. I know I’m not alone and I understand that for me it’s OK to not be OK,” he explained.

Fans enraged that Phelps didn’t win the award

Seeing all that Michael Phelps has accomplished, fans believe he should have been a shoo-in for the Presidential Medal of Freedom candidate list. 

Their discontent came through on Twitter, where they compared him to Simone Biles. 

The gymnast pulled out of multiple events during the Tokyo Olympics to prioritize her mental health and received severe backlash from the public. The criticisms of that daring move haven’t ceased even after a year.

Both Michael Phelps and Simone Biles have pushed their sport further and cemented themselves in its history. They have also been big contributors in advocating for mental health among athletes.

28 Time Olympic Medalist, Michael Phelps Was Shockingly Snubbed From Top 20 Dominant Athletes List in 2018