Simone Biles clarifies her comments after slamming Riley Gaines for her views on trans athletes 

Simone Biles didn’t hold back in calling out Riley Gaines after she taunted children online, but posted some clarifying remarks, as well. 

After sharply criticizing Riley Gaines’ views on trans athletes, Simone Biles is speaking out again—this time to clarify her previous comments. 

On Tuesday, June 10, in a lengthy post on X, the 28-year-old Olympic gymnast said she wanted to “follow up” on comments she made earlier, calling the 25-year-old conservative former swimmer “truly sick” and a “sore loser.”  

“I’ve always believed competitive equity [and] 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. 

She added that topics like trans athletes in sports are “sensitive, complicated issues” that she “truly” doesn’t have the answers 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 continued. “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.” 

Biles’ “follow-up” arrives after she was quick to defend a high school softball team Gaines was taunting online, which resulted in a slight back-and-forth between the two professional athletes. On Friday, June 6, Gaines retweeted a photo of the Minnesota State High School League softball championship-winning team and wrote, “Comments off, lol to be expected when your star player is a boy.” 

“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 category IN ALL sports,” Biles wrote in her initial response on X. “But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!”