MADRID — Simone Biles kept a possible return for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics alive when she said her chances remain “50-50” in a CNN Sports interview from the Laureus World Sports Awards. Mental health, not conditioning, is now the decisive factor because Biles said her coaches can prepare her physically but the road back requires sustained mental work, Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
Her comments in a new CNN Sports interview were neither a retirement notice nor a formal comeback plan. They were something more delicate: a realistic opening from the most decorated gymnast in history, paired with a warning that the decision will not be made by muscle memory alone.
Simone Biles 2028 Olympics question now turns on mental health
Biles, 29, would be 31 when the LA28 Games open. That makes the timeline tight, especially in a sport built on precision, repetition and risk. The official LA28 schedule has the Olympic Games running from July 14-30, 2028, giving Biles just over two years to decide whether she wants to chase a fourth Olympic appearance.
The hope for fans is obvious. USA Gymnastics lists Biles with 11 Olympic medals and 30 world medals, numbers that explain why even a 50-50 answer can feel like a major development. But Biles’ framing also made clear that a possible bid would have to be healthy, deliberate and fully chosen.
She said “mental health plays a big role in it,” a short answer that carries years of context. The physical side, in her view, is the part she trusts. The harder question is whether she wants to commit again to the pressure, structure and daily mental load of becoming Olympic-ready.
Why the 50-50 answer matters now
Biles is not trying to prove she can win. She already did that again in Paris, where USA Gymnastics reported she earned her 11th career Olympic medal and helped close a dominant U.S. artistic gymnastics campaign. She left Paris with gold in the team event, all-around and vault, plus silver on floor exercise.
Her 2024 success also turned her comeback into more than a results story. A Laureus profile later highlighted the same medal haul and her place as the most decorated gymnast in history, underscoring why any hint of LA28 interest instantly becomes global news.
But this possible run is different. Biles is not entering a post-Tokyo comeback with something to reclaim. She is weighing whether the cost of another Olympic cycle fits the life she has built outside the gym.
Older context shows how this decision has been building
The mental health emphasis did not appear suddenly. In 2021, a TIME report on her Tokyo withdrawal captured the moment Biles stepped away from events after losing air awareness during competition, sparking a wider debate about athlete safety and mental well-being.
By 2023, the comeback was underway. AP News reported from Antwerp that Biles won her sixth world all-around title less than three months after returning to competition, a result that turned her recovery into a performance standard again.
At Paris 2024, the conversation sharpened. A People account of her all-around win noted her “Mental health matters” message and her use of therapy during the Olympic run. The pattern was clear: Biles’ best gymnastics was no longer separated from her mental health work; it was supported by it.
Then came the early LA28 uncertainty. In 2025, The Guardian reported that Biles was unsure about competing in Los Angeles, citing the toll on her body and her desire to enjoy life beyond gymnastics. Her latest 50-50 answer fits that same arc rather than reversing it.
What a real bid would require
A serious run at Los Angeles would require more than public interest. Biles would need to return to structured training, test routines under competition pressure and move through the U.S. selection process. None of that has been announced.
That is why her answer matters precisely because it is cautious. It gives supporters hope without pretending the decision is simple. It also reflects the lesson that has defined the second half of her career: medals matter, but not more than the person competing for them.
For now, the Simone Biles 2028 Olympics question remains open. The 50-50 hope is real, but so is the condition attached to it. If Biles makes one more run, it will be because her mind and body are ready to take that road together.
