"Simone Biles in heated exchange with swimmer amid transgender controversy"

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Simone Biles and Riley Gaines Clash Over Transgender Participation in Women’s Sports

A heated exchange has erupted between gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Riley Gaines over the contentious issue of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.

Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, criticized Gaines on X (formerly Twitter), calling her “sick” and stating: “Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.” Her comments came in response to a post from Gaines reacting to a photo shared by the Minnesota State High School League showing the Chaplin Park girls’ team celebrating a state championship win. Gaines implied that the team’s success was due to a transgender player, writing: “To be expected when your star player is a boy.”

The post triggered speculation online about the identity of the supposed transgender athlete.

Biles responded strongly, accusing Gaines of targeting trans athletes because of a personal loss. “You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,” Biles wrote. She urged Gaines to focus on inclusivity in sports, suggesting the creation of a transgender category. “But instead... you bully them. One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around.”

Gaines, a vocal advocate against the inclusion of transgender women in female sports, pushed back. “Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls’ dreams? Didn’t have that on my bingo card. So disappointing,” she wrote. “Men don’t belong in women’s sports and I say that with my full chest.”

She also addressed Biles’ remark about size, saying, “And the subtle hint at ‘body-shaming’? Plzzzz I’m 5’5”.”

Gaines, who tied for fifth with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200m freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Championships, has long argued that the race was unfair. Following that competition, World Aquatics implemented a policy barring transgender athletes who experienced male puberty from competing in women’s events. Thomas later failed to overturn that rule in court.

Gaines has continued to advocate for excluding transgender athletes from women’s sports and was present at the White House earlier this year when former President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the issue.

British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies also criticized Biles, writing: “Not defending women’s sport after you’ve had your career... then comparing a woman to a man as an insult … I thought better of you.”

The broader debate continues to evolve. In April, the UK Supreme Court ruled that “woman” is defined by biological sex under equality law. Since then, several UK sporting bodies, including the FA and the ECB, have aligned with global federations like World Aquatics, World Athletics, and British Cycling, shifting their policies to base eligibility for female categories on biological sex.