Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines and Olympic gymnastics icon Simone Biles have become the latest figures to clash over the ongoing debate surrounding transgender participation in women’s sports. The feud erupted on social media following a Minnesota high school softball team’s championship win featuring a transgender athlete.
Gaines Criticizes Transgender Softball Player
The spark came when the Minnesota State High School League posted a celebratory photo of Champlin Park High School’s girls’ softball team after their state title victory. The team’s star pitcher, Marissa Rothenberger, is a transgender woman and had a dominant performance throughout the postseason.
Riley Gaines, now a conservative commentator and activist, took aim at the league and the athlete, writing on X (formerly Twitter):
“To be expected when your star player is a boy.”
She also criticized the league for turning off comments on the post, implying it was done to avoid backlash.
Simone Biles Responds: ‘You’re Truly Sick’
Simone Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and vocal advocate for mental health and athlete welfare, swiftly responded.
“You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,” Biles wrote, referencing Gaines’ infamous tie with trans swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200m freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Championships.
Biles went further, suggesting solutions rather than exclusion:
“You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans [athletes] feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!!”
She also accused Gaines of being a “bully” and added pointedly:
“One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!”
Gaines Fires Back: ‘Men Don’t Belong in Women’s Sports’
Gaines, who has made opposition to trans inclusion in women’s sports a personal and political mission, did not stay silent.
“This is actually so disappointing. It’s not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces,” she said.
She doubled down by accusing Biles of enabling unfair advantages:
“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 also brushed off what she perceived as a personal dig at her size, responding:
“And the subtle hint at ‘body-shaming’???? Plzzzz. I’m 5’5.”
A National Flashpoint in Sports and Culture
The public disagreement highlights a deeper cultural and legal divide around gender identity, athletic fairness, and inclusion. Gaines has become a key voice for those advocating the exclusion of transgender women from women’s categories. She was present earlier this year when former President Donald Trump signed an executive order barring transgender females from competing in women’s sports.
Meanwhile, Biles’ comments align with a growing call for more inclusive frameworks in athletics, such as the creation of separate transgender divisions—a suggestion she floated during her posts.
Transgender Participation in Sports: A Divisive Topic
Since 2022, the issue has escalated globally. Sports governing bodies like World Aquatics have restricted transgender women from elite competitions if they’ve gone through male puberty. In the UK, a landmark Supreme Court ruling recently defined “woman” based on biological sex, prompting several sports organizations to update their eligibility policies.
Both sides of the debate cite fairness and rights—but their definitions differ significantly. While Gaines claims transgender athletes “steal” opportunities from cisgender women, advocates argue exclusion violates the principles of equality and dignity.
Conclusion: The Debate Intensifies
The online spat between Riley Gaines and Simone Biles is more than a celebrity quarrel—it represents a defining issue in modern sports. With powerful figures like Biles entering the conversation and activists like Gaines holding the line, the conversation around transgender athletes in women’s sports is becoming increasingly hard to ignore.