Popular 11-time Olympic medalist gymnast Simone Biles released a lengthy statement on Tuesday in which she backtracked on her position about transgender athletes after a rather nasty feud with Riley Gaines on social media.
In the post, published on X, Biles commented on how “the current system doesn’t adequately balance” principles such as “competitive equity” and “inclusivity” which often leads to “heated exchanges,” like the one she had with Gaines.
Biles, 28, then offered an apology to Gaines.
“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,” Biles said in the post.
The drama kicked off last week when Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer turned political activist, shared a reaction to a Minnesota High School softball team that won a state championship while having a biological male pitcher on their roster.
Gaines replied to the post by saying, “To be expected when your star player is a boy.” This didn’t sit well with Biles, who called Gaines “truly sick.”
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…
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 10, 2025
Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, followed up by saying, “Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”
“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,” Biles said in her statement on Tuesday. “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.”
In a follow-up to the gymnast’s comments on Friday, Gaines said, “This is so disappointing. My take is the least controversial take on the planet. Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls’ dreams? Didn’t have that on my bingo card.”
Former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick even got in the fray.
“This issue has a shelf life. I truly believe common sense will prevail,” Patrick remarked on Sunday in an Instagram post. “But until then, I am grateful for people like Riley Gaines who are making sure no one gets away with it. Not to mention the fact that she actually lived it.”
Biles finished her post by saying, she hopes the future of the sport will be one “that is fair, inclusive, and respectful.”
