Gabby Douglas Hospitalized Again for 'Seriously Infected' Mouth Injury After She Had to Skip the VMAs
The 20-year-old gymnast posted an update on Sunday
Gabby Douglas missed the MTV Video Music Awards after she was admitted to a hospital for undisclosed reasons.
The gymnast announced the news on Instagram, sharing a photo of herself wrapped up in a blanket on a bed in what appeared to be a hotel room in New York City.
“Out of the hospital & resting comfortably! #FinalFive so sad I can’t be with u all to present tonite@MTV thank u xoxo #VMAs #myview.”
However, Douglas’ publicist tells PEOPLE that she was returned to hospital again on Sunday night for a serious infection.
“Gabby is back in the hospital tonight being treated for a seriously infected past mouth injury,” Douglas’ publicist tells PEOPLE. “She continues to have deep swelling and adverse reactions to medications.”
Douglas was scheduled to join her Final Five teammates – which include Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian and Aly Raisman – to present at the MTV award show in Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. And it was clear her fellow Olympic champs were thinking of her.
“I think she’s feeling a little better, but she’s staying home as a precaution,” Biles told PEOPLE on the red carpet. “We’re sad she couldn’t be here to enjoy this with us. We miss her!”
Later, Aly Raisman posted an Instagram of the other four members of the Final Five at the VMAs, with the message, “We missed you … we hope you’re feeling better.”
It’s been a rough August for Douglas, who was the darling of the London 2012 Olympics. During the Rio Games, she was criticized for not placing her hand over her heart when the nation anthem played as the Final Five received their gold medals in the team all-around competition. (She later explained that she was “standing at attention,” which many athletes do when their national anthem is played.) The 20-year-old gymnast also failed to medal in any of the individual competitions, despite the fact she had a historic win when she nabbed gold for the individual all-around competition in London.
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Douglas has also become the victim of cyber-bullying by online critics during the Rio games – something that her mom Natalie Hawkins addressed head-on at the Rio Games.
“She’s had to deal with people criticizing her hair, or people accusing her of bleaching her skin. They said she had breast enhancements, they said she wasn’t smiling enough, she’s unpatriotic. Then it went to not supporting your team mates. Now you’re ‘Crabby Gabby’,” Hawkins said.