Simone Biles Apologizes After Mocking Riley Gaines for Defending Girl’s Sports [WATCH]

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles issued a public apology Tuesday to Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and current commentator for OutKick, following a series of personal remarks made in response to Gaines’ stance on transgender participation in women’s sports.

The controversy began Friday after Gaines criticized the Minnesota state softball championship team, Champlin Park, for winning with the help of a transgender pitcher, Marissa Rothenberger.

Gaines posted a photo of the team celebrating and commented, “Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy.”

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Gaines has also been outspoken about 16-year-old AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete who recently won gold in the high jump and triple jump in California.

Some parents and competitors protested Hernandez’s participation in the girls’ events.

One athlete who finished second at a separate meet reportedly waited for Hernandez to step off the podium before taking a solo picture in the first-place spot. Gaines referred to Hernandez as “a fraud.”

Biles responded Friday on X, accusing Gaines of “campaigning because you lost a race” and called her a “sore loser.”

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Biles continued, “You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports.” She added, “Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!”

@Riley_Gaines_ You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender… https://t.co/pjpzuZ0AlO

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025

She later told Gaines to “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”

bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male @Riley_Gaines_

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025

Four days later, Biles posted an apology on X, writing: “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 further acknowledged the complexity of the issue and added, “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. My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful.”

She added, “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. We all want a future for sport that is fair, inclusive, and respectful.”

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

Gaines responded publicly, accepting the apology. “I accept Simone’s apology for the personal attacks including the ones where she body-shamed me. I know she knows what this feels like. She’s still the greatest female gymnast of all time.”

I accept Simone’s apology for the personal attacks including the ones where she body-shamed me. I know she knows what this feels like. She’s still the greatest female gymnast of all time.

A couple of things. Sports ARE inclusive by nature. Anyone can and everyone SHOULD play… https://t.co/V8YbMvs3xf

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 10, 2025

Following the apology, Biles also posted her statement to Instagram with a caption of three silver heart emojis. Her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens of the Chicago Bears, shared the post as well.

Gaines also reposted a 2017 tweet from Biles, in which the gymnast joked, “ahhhh good thing guys don’t compete against girls or he’d take all the gold medals !!”

Gaines responded, “Oop don’t you hate it when your past self completely undermines your current nonsensical argument?”

Oop don’t you hate it when your past self completely undermines your current nonsensical argument?

How has 2025 Simone reconciled with the fact 2017 Simone was a ‘truly sick bully’ by her own standard? https://t.co/aQjKuNSmMh

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 8, 2025

Earlier this year, Gaines described her experience sharing a locker room with Lia Thomas, formerly Will Thomas, at the 2022 NCAA freestyle championship.

Thomas, who became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title, competed in the women’s category that year.

Gaines alleged that Thomas undressed in front of female athletes and that many teammates opted to change in janitor’s closets instead of sharing the space.

Gaines has remained active in national discussions around transgender participation in women’s sports and attended President Donald Trump’s address to Congress in March, where the President emphasized his administration’s stance on protecting women’s sports.

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