Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has issued a public apology to former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines following their heated social media exchange about transgender athletes competing in women's sports.
Her actions come after fans had suggested she was 'getting demolished' in the debate.
The 28-year-old athlete posted on X: "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."
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has issued a public apology to former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines following their heated social media exchange about transgender athletes competing in women's sports
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The apology marks a significant development in the dispute between the two prominent figures that had captured widespread attention on social media platforms.
Biles emphasised that her stance was not about compromising competitive fairness in women's sports.
"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," she said.
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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
"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."
The Olympic champion stressed that young athletes should not bear the brunt of criticism for systemic issues beyond their control.
"Individual athletes—especially kids—should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over," Biles stated.
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The controversy originated when Gaines criticised Champlin Park for fielding a transgender athlete in their 6-0 victory in the Minnesota Girls' State Softball Championship.
Biles had previously called Gaines a "bully" during their initial exchange, referencing how the former swimmer has used her 2022 loss to Lia Thomas to campaign against transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports.
The dispute highlighted the ongoing tensions surrounding transgender participation in competitive sports, with both athletes representing different perspectives on how to balance inclusion with competitive fairness.
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Gaines appeared on "The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show" to discuss the public reaction to their exchange.
"To acknowledge how the public has shifted to this, look at Simone Biles' comments section, go on Instagram, go on Twitter, go on any article that's being posted, go on TikTok and she is getting absolutely demolished to the point where I almost feel bad for her, like I really do," Gaines said.
She noted that she had anticipated receiving backlash but claimed the response was overwhelmingly in her favour.
Simone Biles poses with a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer
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"I haven't heard a single negative comment about myself following this interaction," she added.
Gaines also referenced states including Minnesota, California, Washington, Oregon and Maine, where she claimed "boys stole state qualifying spots, state championships or podium spots from deserving, hard-working girls."
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