TOKYO (dpa) – German gymnasts Elisabeth Seitz and Kim Boyle have praised American star Simone Biles for not participating in the all-around Olympic final.

“I think it shows strength, because it says health comes first, not success,” Seitz said at the Tokyo Olympics.

Everyone can cut a slice of it. “Healthy means not only being physically healthy, but also mentally. The 27-year-old, who finished the all-around event at the Ariake Gymnastics Center in superb ninth place, has shown everyone once again how important two things are,” said the 27-year-old.

“At the end of the day, she’s just human,” Kim Boye said of Beals’ decision. If you are not doing well and expressed that too, one should respect that.

Simone Biles announced that she will not start and justifies this with psychological problems. The Olympic all-around champion since 2016 in Rio de Janeiro previously reported mental issues after she called off the team’s final after just one machine.

Golfer Rory McIlroy also expressed his understanding of the decision. “I live in the United States and everything that was on TV or NBC or advertising for the Olympics was Simon Biles. I mean, it was Simon Biles’ Olympics. The 32-year-old said:

In his opinion, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka’s exit at the French Open has brought more focus to the topic. “I thought it was right that Naomi Osaka did it and I agree with Simon one hundred percent,” the former world number one said. “I really like these two women because they put themselves first.” McIlroy says this may encourage more people with similar problems to “go out and share their feelings.”