Simone Biles, the 11-time Olympic medalist, slammed Riley Gaines for her “sick” anti-trans comments in a social media spat over the weekend.
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The online feud began when Gaines heavily criticized the Minnesota State School League, which celebrated its first softball state championship win.
“Comments off lol,” Gaines declared on X while sharing the post. “To be expected when your starting player is a boy.”
She was referring to Marissa Rothenberger, who is a transgender athlete who is a pitcher for the team. The Champlin Park junior allowed only three hits as the No. 2 seed team won 6-0 against No. 4 Bloomington Jefferson High School during the 4A state championship game.
“Champlin Park’s crowing victory came behind a 13-hit attack and another impressive pitching performance by junior Marissa Rothenberger,” the Minnesota State High School League stated in a press release.
Gaines first made headlines after tying for fifth place with the University of Pennsylvania transgender athlete Lia Thomas during the NCAA freestyle championship in 2022. Since then, she has been an outspoken advocate against transgender athletes in women’s sports.
In response to Riley Gaines’ post, Simone Biles called the former collegiate swimmer a “straight up sore loser” and “sick.”
“You are truly sick,” Biles stated. “All of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser.”
The Olympian then wrote, “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!!”
“But instead… You bully them,” Biles continued. “One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!”
She then wrote in a separate post, “Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”
Riley Gaines Calls Simone Biles’ Comments ‘So Disappointing’
In her response, Riley Gaines called Simone Biles’ comments against her “so disappointing.”
“This is so disappointing,” she wrote. “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.”
She then wrote, “Maybe she should compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028.”
Gaines then commented on Biles’ separate post. “And the subtle hint at ‘body-shaming’???? Plzzzzz I’m 5’5.”
The online spat between Gaines and Biles occurred just days after the Trump Administration threatened California with fines and legal action after a 16-year-old transgender athlete, AB Hernandez, won the high school girls’ high jump nd triple jump at the California state track meet.