Simone Biles is drawing a line between public support and personal space.
While in Madrid for the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards, Biles posted a message to her Instagram Stories asking fans to stop waiting outside her hotel, saying the constant crowd has left her feeling uneasy during the trip.
“okay I realllilly love how passionate and dedicated y'all are,” Biles wrote on Sunday, April 19, before adding that it “makes me anxious when you stand outside of the hotel all day.” She asked supporters to “love from afar” and respect her privacy while she is in Spain.
Biles has spent the past several months sharing more of her life in public than usual. In recent weeks, she has posted travel photos from Spain, snapshots from inside her hotel, and updates from her time in Madrid ahead of the annual awards ceremony at Cibeles Palace.
She later clarified that she is still open to meeting fans — just not outside the place she is staying.
“i would love to take pics while I’m out & about though,” she added.
Biles has been one of the most visible athletes in sports since the end of the 2024 Olympics. She spent the NFL season supporting husband Jonathan Owens during the Chicago Bears’ playoff run, regularly appearing on the sideline in custom outfits featuring Owens’ name and number.
She even took a turn behind the camera in December, working as a credentialed sideline photographer during a Bears game against the San Francisco 49ers.
At the same time, Biles has continued expanding her role with Laureus. Earlier this year, according to People, she was announced as an ambassador for the organization and traveled to Milan in February to visit a youth sports program that helps girls build confidence through athletics.
In a statement released when the partnership was announced, Biles said she has seen firsthand “how sport can open doors, build confidence and help young people feel seen and supported.”
