Simone Biles issues stunning apology to Riley Gaines after heated trans athletes feud

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The debate over transgender athletes in sports has stirred up many heated debates, including one this week between Olympic legend Simone Biles and Riley Gaines, one of the most prominent conservative voices on the subject.

But after their heated online war of words took a personal turn, Biles issued a surprising statement apologizing to the former NCAA swimmer.

Biles, who hadn’t posted in days since her online sparring session with Gaines, took to X on Tuesday to expand on her original thoughts and also own up to her mistake.

“I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I’ve always believed competitive equity and inclusivity are both essential in sport,” the 11-time Olympic medallist gymnast began the lengthy post. “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.”

The beef between Biles, 28, and Gaines, 25, unfolded late last week when the political activist shared a post about a Minnesota high school softball team winning a state championship with a transgender pitcher on its roster and noted that the comments were turned off, writing, “To be expected when your star player is a boy.”

In response, Biles wrote that Gaines was “truly sick,” and referenced the former swimmer’s infamous fifth-place tie with transgender athlete Lia Thomas at a championship event.

“All of this campaigning because you lost a race. 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 continued.

Biles later wrote “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”

In her post on Tuesday, the three-time Olympian said that her main objection is that some policies put children in the spotlight for public scrutiny.

“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,” Biles wrote. “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.

“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.

Gaines accepted Biles’ apology, replying: “I welcome you to the fight to support fair sports and a future for female athletes. Little girls deserve the same shot to achieve that you had.”

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