Simone Biles Faces Backlash Over Transgender Athlete Debate with Riley Gaines
In recent days, seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has sparked significant controversy on social media after engaging in a heated exchange with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines regarding the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports. Gaines, a prominent voice on this issue and host of the "Gaines for Girls" podcast, criticized the Minnesota State High School League for sharing a photo of the newly crowned champions, Champlin Park High School, which featured junior pitcher Marissa Rothenberger, a transgender athlete.
The discussion intensified when Biles responded to Gaines’ remarks on X (formerly Twitter), labeling her as “truly sick” for her views on transgender athletes. Biles accused Gaines of being a "sore loser," referencing her loss to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships.
Biles urged for more inclusivity in sports, suggesting the creation of a separate category for transgender athletes. She stated, “You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive… But instead, you bully them.” This comment sparked further debate online, with Biles also challenging Gaines to "bully someone your own size," implying her criticism is unwarranted.
Despite being one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time, with 30 world championship medals to her name, Biles has faced backlash for her remarks. Many users online highlighted her call for open categories in sports, which echoes recent developments within the sports community. In 2022, World Aquatics updated its eligibility policies, effectively barring transgender athletes from women’s events, and later introduced an open category at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Berlin, though it received no entries.
As the conversation continues, Biles has not issued any further comments on social media following her initial posts directed at Gaines.
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