Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has apologised after facing backlash for personal attacks during an online dispute with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines over transgender athletes in women’s sports.
The clash began when Gaines criticised a Minnesota high school for featuring a transgender pitcher in its championship-winning softball team.
Biles responded harshly, calling Gaines a “sore loser” and accused her of “bullying”, and body-shamed her. “Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male,” Biles tweeted. Gaines is 5 ft 3 inches tall and weighs a paltry 59 kgs.
The unhinged attack prompted widespread criticism from supporters of women’s sports.
Biles later acknowledged her comments were “overly personal” and unhelpful, amid a growing national debate over the inclusion of transgender athletes in female sports categories.
Comments off lol
To be expected when your star player is a boy https://t.co/2qY2onUhNW
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 6, 2025
@Riley_Gaines_ 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… https://t.co/pjpzuZ0AlO
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025
Who friggin cares about women sports?
Thank goodness Simone saw sense especially after being groomed by a male…