Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated
Aly RaismancountsColton Underwoodas one of her exes, but that doesn’t mean she’s been keeping tabs on his search for love onThe Bachelorthis season.
“I don’t watch the show. We broke up a couple of years ago and we really — we have not talked in a really, really long time,” the 24-year-old Olympic medalist tells PEOPLE ahead of Sunday’sSuper Bowl.
The pair began dating in late 2016,but splita few months later.
“I am supportive of anybody that comes forward and especially for her to do that on national television, I really commend her for her bravery and I stand with her and I hope she’s getting a ton of support because she deserves it,” Raisman adds, explaining that many people don’t “realize how hard” it can be to open up about sexual assault.
Caelynn Miller-Keyes and Colton Underwood onThe Bachelor.Rick Rowell/ABC
The outspoken gymnast, who also has a partnership with Olay, went on to explain how honesty and empowerment go hand-in-hand.
“I think when you’re honest then people realize that they’re not alone,” Raisman tells PEOPLE, explaining that even though she’s won gold at the Olympics, “I have my insecurities just like everybody else.”
“There’s no reason to be mean to people about their appearance, so that’s very important to me to speak up about. When people are bullying other people it’s ‘cause they’re insecure with themselves,” she adds.
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Although Raisman and Underwood haven’t talked to each other in a long time, theBachelorstar, 27, recently opened up about their past relationship, describing Raisman as his “first love.”
“I wouldn’t say it was on the show,” Underwood said about his first heartbreak during a January episode of theLadyGangpodcast. “I would say it was my first love.”
“While it was confusing and hard in the beginning, it also taught me a lot about myself — what I need, what I want, what I can do better in a relationship,” Underwood reflected. “It was a big step for me. It was really tough.”
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Raisman and Underwood’s relationship began when she agreed to go on a double date with the former Raiders tight end in August 2016 after his former teammate Andrew East, who ismarriedto fellow Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, introduced them.
After five months, Underwood and the gold medal-winning athlete made their relationship public in December 2016 when they made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year Ceremony in New York.
“He’s just a very thoughtful person,” Raismanpreviously told PEOPLEof Underwood.
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In June 2017, Underwood toldTheLincoln Journal Starthat he and Raisman had split.
“We’re taking a break right now. We’re still good friends and talk, but all that travel had been a nightmare,” he said of their busy work schedules, adding that the attention they garnered from the Internet “put a lot of pressure on us” but that they “had fun with it.”
The Bachelorairs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC.
source: people.com
