She regrets her words.
Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles issued an apology to collegiate swimmer and women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines following a heated exchange on social media concerning the fairness and inclusivity of women’s athletics. Biles acknowledged that her remarks had become too personal and expressed regret for the tone of her comments, clarifying that while she supports inclusivity, she also values competitive fairness. She emphasized the importance of approaching these topics with empathy and respect, recognizing that the current system does not always adequately balance those values.
In her statement, Biles clarified that she was not endorsing policies that undermine fairness in women’s sports but rather objecting to the public targeting of individual athletes, particularly minors. She stressed that criticism should be directed at institutions and policies, not at the young people navigating systems they did not create. Biles called on sports organizations to develop rules that ensure both inclusion and fair competition, expressing hope for a future in sports that is equitable and respectful.
The disagreement began when Biles criticized Gaines for drawing attention to a Minnesota high school softball team, which included a transgender athlete. Gaines had noted that the state athletic association disabled comments on a post about the team’s championship win, suggesting it was to avoid backlash over the athlete’s participation. Biles accused Gaines of targeting trans-identifying athletes, leading to a contentious back-and-forth.
Gaines, who has publicly opposed male athletes competing in female divisions after racing against Lia (Will) Thomas in 2022, responded to Biles’ apology by reaffirming her respect for Biles as an athlete. However, she stood by her views, arguing that sports are inclusive by nature, but competition requires certain boundaries. Gaines emphasized that allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports can be harmful and demoralizing for girls and young women.
While the two still appear to hold differing perspectives on how to address inclusion and fairness in athletics, Gaines welcomed Biles’ willingness to engage in the conversation. She expressed hope that Biles might become more actively involved in supporting policies that protect women’s sports, referencing her own advocacy, including a lawsuit against the NCAA and her appearance at the signing of an executive order aimed at preserving female athletic spaces.
