Olympic great Biles apologizes for heated exchange with Riley Gaines over trans athlete participation

The Associated Press

· Posted: Jun 13, 2025 11:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

Two-time Olympic all-around champion Simone Biles has apologized for getting idiosyncratic successful a heated online speech with erstwhile collegiate swimmer turned anti-trans jock activistic Riley Gaines.

Biles, an 11-time Olympic medalist and the astir decorated gymnast of all-time, initially responded to a station by Gaines connected the societal media level X aft Gaines called a subordinate connected a Minnesota precocious schoolhouse softball squad "a boy." Biles wrote that Gaines was "truly sick" and a "straight up sore loser," comments Biles aboriginal retracted.

Biles wrote that the existent strategy successful sports doesn't adequately code the equilibrium betwixt competitory equity and inclusivity and the treatment of the taxable tin pb to "frustration and heated exchanges."

"It didn't assistance for maine to get idiosyncratic with Riley," Biles wrote.

Biles clarified that her main objection was that Gaines opted to azygous retired an underage athlete, erstwhile that jock has nary power implicit what Biles called a "flawed system."

"I judge sports organizations person a work to travel up with rules supporting inclusion portion maintaining just competition," Biles posted. "We each privation a aboriginal for athletics that is fair, inclusive, and respectful."