Simone Biles Calls Out ‘Sore Loser’ Riley Gaines for Anti-Trans Sports Comments

Simone Biles and Riley Gaines are clashing on social media over Gaines’ anti-trans comments about a transgender softball player.

The Olympic gymnast, 28, called out Gaines, 25, who is a conservative activist and former swimmer, on X after she commented on a post from the Minnesota State High School League, which celebrated its first softball state championship win. 

“Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy,” Gaines replied on X, referring to Marissa Rothenberger, a transgender athlete who is a pitcher for the team, according to Fox News. Rothenberger helped the team secure the win by tossing a shutout and ensuring the opposing team couldn’t score a run, per the outlet.

In response, Biles described Gaines as a “straight up sore loser” and told the former athlete that she was “truly sick” on X.

“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!!,” she continued.

“But instead… You bully them… One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!” she concluded the X post directed at Gaines.

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In a separate post on X the 11-time Olympic medalist wrote, “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”

Gaines then replied on X that she felt that the seven-time gold medalist’s comments were “so disappointing” and noted that she felt her “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 continued. “Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028.”

She added in a separate post: “And the subtle hint at ‘body-shaming’ ???? Plzzzz I’m 5’5″

The topic of transgender athletes’ participation in sports has been a controversial one over the last few years. Biles and Gaines’ exchange comes as the Trump administration continues to push back against states, including California, which allow transgender athletes to participate in sports that align with their gender identity.

Earlier this week, the Trump administration threatened California with fines and legal action after a 16-year-old transgender athlete AB Hernandez won both the high school girls’ high jump and triple jump at a California state track meet, according to CBS News.  

Hernandez’s success also prompted California’s Interscholastic Federation to change its rules to allow more “biological female student-athletes” to participate in the same events that trans-athletes are also participating in, per AP.