★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get the daily Sports Examiner Recap by e-mail: sign up here! ★
≡ BILES vs. GAINES ≡
In case you missed it, or prefer not to look at it, the transgender-in-sports debate got personal between Olympic gymnastics legend Simone Biles and former All-American swimmer Riley Gaines, now an activist for women in sports.
Both get lots of attention, as Biles shows 1.9 million followers on X (ex-Twitter) and Gaines has 1.5 million. The play-by-play:
● 6 June from Biles on X:
“@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 category IN ALL sports!!
“But instead… You bully them…
“One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!”
● 6 June reply from Gaines:
“This is actually so disappointing. It’s not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces.
“You can uplift men stealing championships in women’s sports with YOUR platform.
“Men don’t belong in women’s sports and I say that with my full chest.”
● 6 June from Biles:
“bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male @Riley_Gaines_”
● 6 June from Gaines:
“And the subtle hint at “body-shaming” ???? Plzzzz I’m 5’5″”
● 8 June from Gaines, bringing up a vintage Biles tweet from 2017:
“Oop don’t you hate it when your past self completely undermines your current nonsensical argument?
“How has 2025 Simone reconciled with the fact 2017 Simone was a ‘truly sick bully’ by her own standard?
The October 2017 tweet from Biles read:
“ahhhh good thing guys don’t compete against girls or he’d take all the gold medals !!”
The tweet referred to a photo of a two-year-old boy playing on a baby trampoline, but the photo was not visible in the tweet, just the link.
By that point, the conversation had been taken over from activists from both sides, none of whom added much to the discussion.
● On Tuesday (10th), Biles posted a long apology:
“I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport. 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.
“These are sensitive, complicated issues that I truly don’t have the answers or solutions to, but I believe it starts with empathy and respect. 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.
“Xoxo Simone”
● Gaines replied thus:
“I accept Simone’s apology for the personal attacks including the ones where she body-shamed me. I know she knows what this feels like. She’s still the greatest female gymnast of all time.
“A couple of things. Sports ARE inclusive by nature. Anyone can and everyone SHOULD play sports. Competition, on the other hand and by definition, is exclusive. So the idea of ‘competitive equity’ is nonsensical.
“Secondly, the boys are publicly humiliating the girls. To suggest that women and girls must be silent or ignore a boy who is PUBLICLY hurting or humiliating them is wrong. You can’t have any empathy and compassion for the girls if you’re ignoring when young men are harming or abusing them. I am not ashamed to be a voice for the voiceless.
“Lastly, I agree with you that the blame is on the lawmakers and leaders at the top. Precisely why I’m suing the NCAA and support candidates who vow to stand with women. That’s why I joined @realDonaldTrump at the signing of his Executive Order. I didn’t see you there or championing this effort with your platform.
“Women’s sports can’t be used as an excuse for girl’s to center the feelings and validation of men and boys.
“I welcome you to the fight to support fair sports and a future for female athletes. Little girls deserve the same shot to achieve that you had.”
The war of words between the two may be done for now, but the issue continues.
¶
★ Receive our exclusive, weekday TSX Recap by e-mail by clicking here.
★ Sign up a friend to receive the TSX Recap by clicking here.
★ Please consider a donation here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 694-event International Sports Calendar for 2025 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
