Simone Biles has the support of her husband as the Olympian faces backlash for comments she made to former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines in an argument about trans athletes.
Biles, 28, apologized via X on Tuesday, June 10, for making the debate “personal,” and Jonathan Owens shared the apology that same day via his Instagram, adding three heart emojis above it. He didn’t add any further comment.
“I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport,” Biles wrote. “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 apologize for.”
She continued, “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.”
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Biles and Gaines’ argument began on Friday, June 6, when Gaines, 25, alleged a Minnesota high school softball team, which has a trans player on its roster, won a state championship because its “star player is a boy.”
“My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful,” Biles explained. “Individual athletes — especially kids — should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over. I believe sports organizations 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.”
As part of their argument, Biles brought up that Gaines, who swam competitively at the University of Kentucky, competed against Lia Thomas, the first openly trans woman champion in the NCAA women’s division.
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“You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race,” she said. “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!!”
In a later post, Biles told Gaines to “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.” Gaines responded, accusing Biles of body-shaming.
Gaines accepted Biles’ apology on Tuesday, writing via X. “I know she knows what this feels lik. She’s still the greatest female gymnast of all time. A couple of things. Sports ARE inclusive by nature. Anyone can and everyone SHOULD play sports. Competition, on the other hand and by definition, is exclusive. So the idea of ‘competitive equity’ is nonsensical.”
