Simone Biles backtracks, apologises after trans athletes feud with Riley Gaines explodes

Olympic legend Simone Biles has made a surprising statement on her “fair competition” stance after her feud with Riley Gaines exploded over the weekend.

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 medallist 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, apologised 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 apologise for,” Biles wrote.

Simone Biles has spoken out following her social media feud with Riley Gaines. Picture: Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP

“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 continued.

“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 organisations 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.”

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines. Picture: Copyright 2023 Instagram

How ‘sick’ trans furore erupted

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 post about the team being turned off, she expressed, “To be expected when your star player is a boy.”

In response to Gaines’ comment, Biles fired back and stated she was “truly sick.”

“@Riley_Gaines_ You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race,” 28-year-old Biles tweeted, referencing Gaines’ tie during a race with trans University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championship.

“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.

“Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male,” she later added.

Riley Gaines engaged in an X back-and-forth with Simone Biles – and now Danica Patrick has weighed in. Picture: Getty, Instagram

Gaines, 25, fired back. “It’s not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women’s sports with YOUR platform. Men don’t belong in women’s sports and I say that with my full chest,” Gaines said.

Gaines alluded to Biles’ efforts to take down former Team USA gymnastics doctor and prolific sex criminal Larry Nassar.

“All the horrific sexual abuse @Simone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet [she] believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man’s feelings,” Gaines wrote in another tweet.

Former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick proudly confessed to taking the “red pill” as she publicly backed political activist Riley Gaines.

“This issue has a shelf life. I truly believe common sense will prevail,” Patrick, 43, said on Instagram Sunday.

“But until then, I am grateful for people like Riley Gaines who are making sure no one gets away with it. Not to mention the fact that she actually lived it.”

“Defending men in women’s sports is the woke mind virus and/or another issue that requires therapy. Either way, it is so irrational,” she added.

Patrick’s comments are the latest in an ongoing war of words between anti-trans activist and former University of Kentucky swimmer Gaines and Olympic gymnast Biles that broke out Friday – a spat that has seen cheap shots taken by both sides.

Gaines highlights old Biles comment about men in women’s sport

Simone Biles of Team United States competes on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Gaines also unearthed an old comment of Biles and used it against her in the widening dispute.

“ahhhh good thing guys don’t compete against girls or he’d take all the gold medals !!” Biles wrote in the 2017 tweet, apparently responding to the men’s division results at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

“Oop don’t you hate it when your past self completely undermines your current nonsensical argument?” Gaines wrote sarcastically, retweeting Biles’ post.

“How has 2025 Simone reconciled with the fact 2017 Simone was a ‘truly sick bully’ by her own standard?”

Danica Patrick supported the Trump campaign. Picture: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Fortune

Patrick’s position comes after she announced she would be voting for President Trump in the last election.

Last October, at a campaign event with now Vice President JD Vance Patrick announced that she would be voting for the first time at the age 42.

“I just want to say I’ve never voted before, but this time around, I have to vote,” Patrick said, sharing the stage with Vance. “It’s that important.”

She said she would be voting for “the good guys”.

“I just want to be clear, I want to get on record — you’re voting for us, right?” Vance then asked.

“1000 per cent,” Patrick replied, joking that if she “could vote twice”, she would.

Patrick retired in 2018 after the 2018 Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.

This article was originally published by the New York Post and reproduced with permission