Olympics

Simone Biles is just days away from making her debut as a Houston Texans cheerleader -- and TMZ Sports has the first shots of the Team USA star in action!

Here's the deal ... a couple weeks ago, Simone (an H-town native) tweeted outta the blue -- "honestly how fun would it be to be an NFL cheerleader?"

The Texans cheer squad immediately stepped up -- offering her a spot as their very first "honorary" cheerleader.

The two sides hooked up -- and Biles will make her NFL debut on Sunday when the Texans play the 49ers in Houston.

Things are going so well in practice, they even initiated the gold medalist with her very own pair of "legendary red boots" on Thursday.

Simone's face says it all ... and with moves like hers, Sunday should be lit!

Russia is BANNED from the '18 Winter Olympics after the country was caught running a MASSIVE doping scheme ... the International Olympic Committee announced Tuesday.

Athletes from Russia -- across every sport -- won't be allowed to compete representing the nation, the Russian flag won't be flown, and officials from the country aren't welcome in PyeongChang, South Korea.

FYI -- Russian athletes -- who can prove they aren't doping -- can compete under a neutral flag ... meaning they aren't reppin' a country.

The IOC hit Russia with the unprecedented penalty after completing an independent investigation into the country for operating an expansive state-sponsored doping program ... that included widespread cheating in the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia.

The United States Olympic Committee addressed the punishment, saying ... "The IOC took a strong and principled decision. There were no perfect options, but this decision will clearly make it less likely that this ever happens again. Now it is time to look ahead to PyeongChang."

Dr. Larry Nassar just pled guilty to multiple counts of sexually assaulting multiple girls while working as a doctor for Team USA gymnastics and Michigan State University.

Nassar appeared in a Michigan courtroom early Wednesday morning dressed in his jailhouse orange jumpsuit where he entered the plea.

He now faces 25 to 40 years in prison.

Nassar was accused of molesting dozens of high profile athletes -- including Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney -- while telling the women he was simply performing routine physical exams.

Aly Raisman was not happy with the proceedings -- tweeting, "Court referring to Larry as DOCTOR Nassar. I AM DISGUSTED. I am very disappointed. He does NOT deserve that. Larry is digusting. Larry is a MONSTER not a doctor."

Gabby Douglas just announced that she, too, was abused by her former team doctor, Larry Nassar ... this after 2 other U.S. gymnasts claimed the same thing.

Gabby issued a statement Tuesday which started out by apologizing for her perceived victim shaming of ex-teammate Aly Raisman ... and then dropped the bombshell that she, too, was a victim.

She said she didn't view her comments as victim shaming because "I know that no matter what you wear, it NEVER gives anyone the right to harass or abuse you. It would be like saying that because of the leotards we wore, it was our fault that we were abused by Larry Nassar."

Gabby continued ... "I didn't publicly share my experiences as well as many other things because for years we were conditioned to stay silent and honestly some things were extremely painful. I wholeheartedly support my teammates for coming forward with what happened to them."

As we reported ... Simone Biles blasted Gabby last week after Gabby essentially told Aly that women need to dress modestly to help avoid attracting potential predators.

Gabby apologized for the way her comment came off at the time .. but did not go public with her accusation of sexual abuse until now.

5:00 PM PT -- Gabby has pulled a near 180, saying she didn't word her reply correctly and "regardless of what you wear, abuse under any circumstance is never acceptable." She's also apologized and says she stands by her teammates.

Simone Biles is publicly attacking her former Team USA gymnastics teammate Gabby Douglas -- and it's all over comments Gabby made insinuating some women invite sexual abuse by the way they dress.

It all started with Aly Raisman ... their 2016 U.S. Olympic teammate who recently went public with allegations she was sexually assaulted by ex-Team USA doctor Larry Nassar.

Raisman -- who famously posed nude for the ESPN Body Issue -- received hate from people who shot down her story because of the provocative pics.

Raisman clapped back with a message on social media Friday morning saying, "Just because a woman does a sexy photoshoot or wears a sexy outfit does not give a man the right to shame her or not believe her when she comes forward about sexual abuse."

That's when Gabby got involved ... saying:

"However it is our responsibility as women to dress modestly and be classy. Dressing in a provocative/sexual way entices the wrong crowd."

Biles saw Gabby's comment and went scorched-earth ... saying:

"Shocks me that I’m seeing this but it doesn’t surprise me... honestly seeing this brings me to tears bc as your teammate I expected more from you & to support her."

She continued, "I support you Aly 💕 & all the other women out there! STAY STRONG.

Another major Team USA gymnastics star claims she was abused by ex-USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar -- with Aly Raisman coming forward in the hopes of protecting future athletes.

Raisman -- a 2-time national team captain who won 6 gold medals -- opened up about the allegations to "60 Minutes" ... saying she met with the FBI after the '16 Rio Olympics.

23-year-old Raisman wouldn't get into the specifics of the alleged abuse -- she would only say she's very "angry" and looking for justice.

Nassar has been accused of sexually abusing scores of female athletes over the years -- including McKayla Maroney.

Gabby Douglas wants to give McKayla Maroney some more time and space before she calls her ex-Team USA teammate about her sexual assault allegations ... but applauds McKayla for speaking out.

It's been nearly a month since Maroney went public with allegations she was drugged and molested by former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar.

Douglas -- who was part of the 2012 Fierce Five gold medal-winning squad with McKayla -- says McKayla's story shows sexual assault isn't just an issue in Hollywood ... "it's happening world wide."

"It's really unfortunate and it's very sad ... thankfully we get to use our platforms to speak to it and definitely make a change."

The real-life hockey player played by Josh Hartnett in the new movie "6 Below" has been hit with a restraining order by his wife after allegedly abusing her for years ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Eric LaMarque was an Olympic and pro hockey player -- who became famous for surviving alone in the wilderness during a massive winter storm. He was rescued but both of his feet were amputated as a result of his injuries. He wrote a book about the experience, called "Crystal Clear," which was later made into a movie.

But behind the scenes, LaMarque's life has been a mess -- his wife, Hope, claims he got violent during an argument on Oct. 13 ... the same day his movie was officially released.

Eric's wife claims he got so angry, he followed her to the car -- then punched the windows and pulled the mirrors. She claims it's not the first time he went nuclear -- she's called the police on Eric at least 11 times over the years for alleged domestic violence.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, the judge granted a temporary restraining order against Eric. Hope has also filed for divorce.

We reached out to Eric who denies the Oct. 13 allegations -- but admits he had anger issues in the years after the mountain incident. Eric says he loves his wife and hopes he can work things out with her.

Usain Bolt loves Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton loves Usain Bolt ... and they professed their love for each other at an F1 race in Texas over the weekend.

The two were both VIP guests at the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas on Sunday -- where they hung out and BS'd together before the race?

Bolt told Bill he's the greatest President ever. Clinton told Bolt, "I'm a huge fan."

And why? There was that time at the Olympics Bolt convinced his GF to let him mess around with other women.

Game respects game, right?

McKayla Maroney's mother says the Olympic gymnast is still reeling after going public with allegations she was molested and drugged by the team doctor ... but the family is proud of her.

"She's doing as expected," Erin Maroney said Thursday ... "She's not great, not fine. She's just low-key doing okay."

The 2012 Team USA Olympic gold medalist has claimed Dr. Larry Nassar repeatedly sexually assaulted her under the guise he was performing routine medical care ... starting when she was 13 years old.

Team USA gymnastics stars Nastia Liukin and Laurie Hernandez say they did NOT experience abuse at the hands of former team doctor Larry Nassar -- but they feel horrible for those who did.

"We feel for them," Liukin said on the way to a charity event in NYC ..."Our hearts and prayers go out to all that were affected."

One of those affected is McKayla Maroney -- who says Nassar repeatedly sexually abused her during her gymnastics career ... beginning at age 13.

Maroney's 2012 Olympics teammate Gabby Douglas was also out in NYC last night -- and says she has not spoken with McKayla since she went public with the allegations ... but insinuated that she would be reaching out.

McKayla Maroney says she was sexually assaulted by the team doctor for the U.S. women's gymnastics team and Olympic team -- and the abuse started when she was 13 years old.

The former U.S. Olympic gymnast went public about the alleged abuse Wednesday morning -- saying Dr. Larry Nassar repeatedly molested her under the guise of administering "treatment."

The 21-year-old says, "Dr. Nassar told me that I was receiving 'medically necessary treatment that he had been performing on patients for over 30 years.'"

"It started when I was 13 years old, at one of my first National Team training camps, in Texas, and it didn't end until I left the sport."

"It seemed whenever and wherever this man could find the chance, I was 'treated.' It happened in London before my team and I won the gold medal, and it happened before I won my Silver."

Maroney says Nassar gave her a sleeping pill on a flight to Tokyo when she was 15 -- "and the next thing I know, I was all alone with him in his hotel room getting a 'treatment.' I thought I was going to die that night."

McKayla joins a long list of women accusing Nassar of sexual misconduct -- 125 women, including former gymnasts, have already filed suit against him for alleged incidents over the years.

Now that he's retired, Usain Bolt is letting himself go ... to KFC!

The Olympic legend hit up the chicken joint in Bristol, England this week and left with a full bag of the Col.'s goodness. Plus a fountain drink!

Bolt's final race was back in August -- and he's been enjoying the noncompetitive life ever since ... partying, smoking hookah and eating delicious fast food.

In fact, he likes fast food so much ... dude inhaled 1,000 chicken nuggets during the Beijing Games, according to him.

U.S. Olympic pole vaulter Sandi Morris says she was "across the street" from the Vegas shooting Sunday night -- and was kept in lockdown at the Luxor Hotel for 5 hours until officials deemed it safe to leave.

The Luxor is actually closer to the site of the shooting than the Mandalay Bay -- and Morris says she was inside the hotel watching The Blue Man Group show when the incident began.

Morris -- who won silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio -- details how officials stopped the show and locked down the building to keep everyone safe.

She says show officials passed out blankets, water and food -- including bananas that were supposed to be used in the show.

Traffic is gonna be soooo bad.

The International Olympic Committee has officially announced what was all expected ... the 2028 Olympic Games will go down in Los Angeles.

Several high-powered celebs were part of the campaign to get the Games to La La Land including Dr. Dre and Magic Johnson.

The heads of the Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers, Rams, Warner Brothers, and Disney were all on the team as well.

Moments ago, the IOC announced L.A. will get 2028 ... and Paris will get 2024.