Biles and Gaines shared a tense exchange regarding transgender athletes in women’s sports

Simone Biles; Riley Gaines.Credit :

Kristy Sparow/Getty; Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Simone Biles is speaking out again after she slammed Riley Gaines for her views on transgender athletes in sports.

Biles, 28, posted a lengthy message on X on Tuesday, June 10, telling her followers she wanted to “follow up” on her last posts from the weekend in which she called 25-year-old Gaines, a conservative activist and former swimmer, a “sore loser” and “truly sick.”

“I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport,” Biles began in her follow-up post. “The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for.”

The Olympic gymnast said their conversation covers “sensitive, complicated issues” that she doesn’t “have the answers or solutions to.”

“But I believe it starts with empathy and respect,” Biles continued.

Simone Biles at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.Jamie Squire/Getty

“I was not advocating for policies that compromise fairness in women’s sports. My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful. Individual athletes—especially kids—should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over.”

“I believe sports organizations have a responsibility to come up with rules supporting inclusion while maintaining fair competition. We all want a future for sport that is fair, inclusive, and respectful,” Biles concluded, signing off with, “Xoxo Simone.”

Biles first called out Gaines when the conservative activist commented on a post from the Minnesota State High School League of players posing with their first softball state championship plaque.

Simone Biles of USA jumps on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/Getty

Gaines wrote, “Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy,” referring to Marissa Rothenberger, a transgender athlete who is a pitcher for the team, according to Fox News. Rothenberger helped the team secure the win with a shutout, as their opponents failed to score.

Biles quoted the X post and wrote, “You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. 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!!!!!”

In a separate post on X amid the argument, Biles wrote, “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”

Gaines and Biles’ exchange was sparked by the ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to push back against states, like California, who are permitting transgender athletes to participate in sports that align with their gender identity.

After 16-year-old transgender athlete AB Hernandez won both the high school girls’ high jump and triple jump at a California state track meet earlier this month, the Trump administration threatened California with fines and legal action, according to CBS News. Hernandez’s success also prompted California’s Interscholastic Federation to change its rules to allow more “biological female student-athletes” to participate in the same events that trans-athletes are also participating in, per AP.