Simone Biles shares cryptic ‘madness' message on Instagram after leaving X in trans athlete controversy
Simone Biles no longer has an X account, but she is getting her message out on social media.
'Strength is what we gain from the madness we survive,' Biles posted to her Instagram Story on Monday.
Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, has been embroiled in controversy for the past few weeks stemming from an online feud with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines regarding transgender athletes.
4 Simone Biles posted this message to her Instagram account Monday.
@simonebiles/Instagram
Gaines, who is critical of transgender athletes, mocked a Minnesota high school softball championship team that included a transgender athlete for posting a photo of the squad without the comments enabled.
'To be expected when your star player is a boy,' Gaines posted on June 6.
Biles, 28, criticized Gaines for those comments.
'You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,' Biles wrote in reference to Gaines finishing tied for fifth place in the 2022 NCAA championships in the 200-yard freestyle alongside transgender athlete Lia Thomas.
'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!! But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!'
4 Simone Biles on June 2, 2025.
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / SplashNews.com
Biles also made a critical comment about Gaines' figure.
Wrote Biles: 'Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.'
Gaines responded to Biles by calling her remarks 'so disappointing.'
'Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams?' Gaines wrote June 6. 'Didn't have that on my bingo card.'
4 Riley Gaines on April 10, 2025.
ZUMAPRESS.com
Biles ultimately apologized for going after Gaines' stature.
'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 apologize for,' Biles wrote June 10.
'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. 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.'
4 Simone Biles flashing a gold medal last August.
Getty Images
Gaines has since gloated about Biles taking down her X account.
'- has an incredibly unpopular and morally indefensible take; – gets rightfully ridiculed for it; – issues a groveling public apology after unrelenting backlash' – deletes account to pretend it never happened,' Gaines wrote Sunday night in a quote tweet stating Biles no longer has an X account.
'Sad to see such a phenom go down like this.'
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