Simone Biles Apologizes to Riley Gaines Over Transgender Sports Debate

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles recently extended an apology to former college swimmer Riley Gaines after criticizing her stance against transgender athletes in women’s sports.

This situation unfolded when Gaines expressed her disapproval of a Minnesota High School team that had a biological male player, celebrating their Softball State Championship win.

Gaines commented on a photo of the championship team, which seemed to provoke Biles, who later responded with, “Ironically, I’ll be a man.”

Biles’ tweet spurred a video reply from Gaines, who pointed out the inconsistency in Biles’ prior remarks about body image and personal attacks.

“First off, she acknowledges the existing differences between men and women—notably physiological ones. Plus, while I might appear tall to someone who’s 5 feet 5 or shorter, I’m pretty standard-sized for women,” Gaines said.

The public exchange began last Friday, and by Tuesday, Biles had issued a follow-up apology.

“I wanted to clarify my previous tweet. I genuinely believe that competitive equity and inclusivity are vital in sports. The current framework doesn’t quite strike a balance between these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heightened tensions, making things harder personally with Riley,” Biles explained.

“These issues are sensitive and complex, and honestly, I don’t really have a definitive answer. I think it all starts with empathy and respect. I wasn’t advocating for policies that undermine women’s sports equity,” she continued.

“It’s crucial that individual athletes, especially children, aren’t blamed for problematic systems over which they have no control. Sports organizations should be the ones developing rules that foster inclusivity while ensuring fair competition,” Biles added.