Simone Biles expanded on her “fair competition” stance in the transgender athlete debate Tuesday after her feud with Riley Gaines exploded on social media over the weekend.
In a lengthy post shared on X, the 11-time Olympic medalist gymnast addressed how “the current system doesn’t adequately balance” principles such as “competitive equity” and “inclusivity,” often igniting “heated exchanges” such as her sparring match with Gaines, to which Biles, 28, apologized for.
“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 wrote.
The social media drama between Biles and Gaines, 25, unfolded last week when the political activist and former collegiate swimmer reacted to a Minnesota high school softball team winning a state championship with a transgender pitcher on the roster.
When Gaines took note of the comments on the team’s post being turned off, she expressed, “To be expected when your star player is boy.”
In response to Gaines’ comment, Biles fired back and stated she was “truly sick.”
In a follow-up message, the seven-time Olympic gold medalist told Gaines, “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 wrote. “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.”
Biles concluded her post by sharing her hope for the future of sport, one “that is fair, inclusive, and respectful.”
The fallout has only continued with ex-NASCAR driver Danica Patrick recently weighing in.