Simone Biles Faces Backlash After Heated Exchange with Riley Gaines Over Trans Athletes in Sports
Olympic gymnastics legend Simone Biles is under fire on social media after a heated back-and-forth with former NCAA swimming star Riley Gaines over the ongoing debate about transgender athletes in women’s sports.
It all started when Riley Gaines, who is now a podcast host and outspoken voice on women’s sports, criticized the Minnesota State High School League. The league had shared a photo celebrating Champlin Park High School’s softball team, which recently won the state championship. The team’s star player, Marissa Rothenberger, is a transgender athlete — and that fact has sparked controversy.
Gaines took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice her concerns, pointing out that the league had turned off comments on the post, likely anticipating backlash. She expressed frustration about a biological male competing on a girls’ team, calling it unfair to female athletes.
Simone Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and one of the most celebrated gymnasts in history, didn’t hold back in her response. She jumped into the conversation and called Gaines “truly sick,” accusing her of bullying the trans community. Biles also suggested that Gaines’ criticism stemmed from losing to Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, during the 2022 NCAA Championships.
“You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,” Biles wrote.
She went on to say: “You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!”
Biles’ comment triggered strong reactions online. Many people voiced support for Gaines, saying she was standing up for fairness in women’s sports. Others defended Biles, praising her for advocating for inclusivity and respect for trans athletes.
The debate around transgender athletes in sports continues to be one of the most divisive topics in both athletics and politics. Gaines has become a prominent figure in that conversation, arguing that allowing trans women to compete in female categories puts biological women at a disadvantage. She believes it’s about protecting the integrity of women’s sports.
Meanwhile, Biles and others believe the focus should be on inclusion and finding solutions that make sports safe and welcoming for everyone — including transgender athletes.
As of now, neither side shows signs of backing down, and the public reaction remains split. One thing is clear: the conversation around fairness, identity, and sports isn’t going away any time soon.