Simone Biles Calls Out ‘Sore Loser' Riley Gaines for Anti-Trans Sports Comments: ‘You're Truly Sick'
Simone Biles and Riley Gaines clashed over a transgender athlete's participation on a softball team on June 6
Gaines had commented on an X post from the Minnesota State High School League, saying, 'Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy'
Biles then told the former swimmer on X that she was 'truly sick' and a 'straight up sore loser' for her anti-trans rhetoricSimone Biles and Riley Gaines are clashing on social media over Gaines' anti-trans comments about a transgender softball player.
The Olympic gymnast, 28, called out Gaines, 25, who is a conservative activist and former swimmer, on X after she commented on a post from the Minnesota State High School League, which celebrated its first softball state championship win.
'Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy,' Gaines replied on X, referring to Marissa Rothenberger, a transgender athlete who is a pitcher for the team, according to Fox News. Rothenberger helped the team secure the win by tossing a shutout and ensuring the opposing team couldn't score a run, per the outlet.
In response, Biles described Gaines as a 'straight up sore loser' and told the former athlete that she was 'truly sick' on X.
'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!!,' she continued.
'But instead… You bully them… One thing's for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!' she concluded the X post directed at Gaines.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In a separate post on X the 11-time Olympic medalist wrote, 'bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.'
Gaines then replied on X that she felt that the seven-time gold medalist's comments were 'so disappointing' and noted that she felt her 'take is the least controversial take on the planet.'
'Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams? Didn't have that on my bingo card,' she continued. 'Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028.'
She added in a separate post: 'And the subtle hint at 'body-shaming' ???? Plzzzz I'm 5'5"
The topic of transgender athletes' participation in sports has been a controversial one over the last few years. Biles and Gaines' exchange comes as the Trump administration continues to push back against states, including California, which allow transgender athletes to participate in sports that align with their gender identity.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration threatened California with fines and legal action after a 16-year-old transgender athlete AB Hernandez won both the high school girls' high jump and triple jump at a California state track meet, according to CBS News.
Hernandez's success also prompted California's Interscholastic Federation to change its rules to allow more "biological female student-athletes" to participate in the same events that trans-athletes are also participating in, per AP.
Read the original article on People
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
31 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Katie Ledecky, Bobby Finke, Gretchen Walsh win third titles at nationals, history calls at worlds
Katie Ledecky, Bobby Finke and Gretchen Walsh capped the Toyota U.S. Swimming Championships by each winning their third event of the meet on Saturday. They will lead the U.S. team at the World Championships in July and August in Singapore. Ledecky extended a 15-year win streak in the 1500m freestyle, an event where she holds the 23 fastest times in history. She clocked 15 minutes, 36.76 seconds, distancing the field by more than 25 seconds in Indianapolis. Ledecky has the world's fastest times this year in the 400m, 800m and 1500m frees. At worlds, she can build on her female record 21 career world titles. SWIMMING: Results If Ledecky sweeps her three individual events and is part of a winning 4x200m free relay, she will move one shy of Michael Phelps' overall record 26 world titles. She is also one medal shy of Ryan Lochte for the second-most total medals in championships history. Phelps earned 33, Lochte had 27 and Ledecky is at 26 overall. Australian Ariarne Titmus, the Olympic 400m free gold medalist and 800m free silver medalist, is taking a break from competition this year. So Ledecky's primary competition will be 18-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh, the Olympic 400m free silver medalist ahead of Ledecky. McIntosh is also the second-fastest woman in history in the 800m free behind Ledecky. She did not race it at the Paris Games, but said last week that she might do so in Singapore. Walsh has the world's top times this year in the 50m and 100m butterflies and the 50m free, which she won at nationals on Saturday. Walsh tied training partner Kate Douglass' American record of 23.91 seconds. She seeks her first individual title at a major international meet in a 50-meter pool. Walsh won seven gold medals and broke nine individual world records at last December's world short course championships in the less-used 25-meter pool. Finke won the 800m and 1500m frees at nationals — his two Olympic gold medal events — plus the 400m individual medley, though he won't race that event at worlds. The 1500m free and 400m IM finals are in the same session in Singapore. Finke is already a world champion in the 800m, but in the 1500m he will bid to become the first American man to win that event at worlds since Tim Shaw in 1975. Also Saturday, Shaine Casas and Alex Walsh won the men's and women's 200m individual medleys in the fastest and second-fastest times in the world this year, respectively. U.S. Championships highlights air Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC. Nick Zaccardi,
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Athletes Unlimited Softball League opens with high hopes and support from MLB and USA Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Athletes Unlimited Softball League made its debut after a year of buildup and a recent collaboration with Major League Baseball. The Bandits beat the Talons 3-1 in the first game Saturday in Rosemont, Illinois. The Volts were set to play the Blaze in Wichita, Kansas later in the day. 'I kind of feel like we blinked and it was here,' Cat Osterman, general manager of the Volts, said. 'But then there were moments where it felt like we weren't ever going to get here either because it took a whole year of process. We're all excited.' Athletes Unlimited has featured softball since 2020, when it unveiled a unique format that crowned an individual champion. The organization that focuses exclusively on women's sports now has launched a traditional four-team softball league in a traveling format. The Blaze, Volts, Bandits and Talons will play 24 games each, touring to 12 cities. The top two teams will compete in the best-of-three AUSL Championship from July 26-28 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. MLB said last month that it is making a strategic investment in the league . It will include an undisclosed amount for operational costs and a commitment to help it gain visibility. It will market the AUSL and its athletes during its All-Star Game, throughout the postseason and during broadcasts on the MLB Network and streams on . USA Softball executive director Craig Cress likes the fact that a league with MLB's backing exists for players to join after their college careers. He sees it as an opportunity to keep the top American players facing elite competition so Team USA will be ready for Olympic softball that will be played in Oklahoma City in 2028. Japan has won the past two Olympic gold medals in the sport. Cress said he hopes the AUSL emerges as something comparable to Japan's well-established softball leagues. 'We have a great respect and a great rivalry,' Cress said of the history with Japan. 'But this Olympics on our home soil is our gold medal. We need to go get it. So from that standpoint, I know we've got a long way to go, but that's the end goal.' Cress said it was smart for Athletes Unlimited to add former MLB executive Kim Ng as commissioner and to seek out the league as a partner. He hopes the AUSL can catch fire the way the WNBA has the past two years with Caitlin Clark. 'The WNBA is now starting to really do some things with the star power they have coming in,' he said. 'But what got them to the point to be able to keep their athletes from going overseas to play? It was the involvement of the NBA.' There are indicators that this league could last longer than those that have come and gone over the years, starting with the well-structured support system, stability and the experience Athletes Unlimited had with the sport before launching this league. 'I think that one thing you hear about Athletes Unlimited from anybody that's been around it is we've done what we said we were going to do,' Athletes Unlimited co-founder Jon Patricof said. 'We've been around now for five years.' Bri Ellis, who was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year for Arkansas this season, played for the Talons on Saturday after being the No. 2 overall pick in the AUSL draft last month. She said she's thrilled about the timing of the league's rollout. 'It was kind of this relief that I don't have to be done now,' she said. 'I can keep going and keep playing and there's still a story to be written for me in my career, and so I'm just really grateful for everyone that's come before me and has worked their tails off to get the sport to where it is now.' ___ AP sports: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Athletes Unlimited Softball League opens with high hopes and support from MLB and USA Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Athletes Unlimited Softball League made its debut after a year of buildup and a recent collaboration with Major League Baseball. The Bandits beat the Talons 3-1 in the first game Saturday in Rosemont, Illinois. The Volts were set to play the Blaze in Wichita, Kansas later in the day. 'I kind of feel like we blinked and it was here,' Cat Osterman, general manager of the Volts, said. 'But then there were moments where it felt like we weren't ever going to get here either because it took a whole year of process. We're all excited.' Athletes Unlimited has featured softball since 2020, when it unveiled a unique format that crowned an individual champion. The organization that focuses exclusively on women's sports now has launched a traditional four-team softball league in a traveling format. The Blaze, Volts, Bandits and Talons will play 24 games each, touring to 12 cities. The top two teams will compete in the best-of-three AUSL Championship from July 26-28 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. MLB said last month that it is making a strategic investment in the league. It will include an undisclosed amount for operational costs and a commitment to help it gain visibility. It will market the AUSL and its athletes during its All-Star Game, throughout the postseason and during broadcasts on the MLB Network and streams on USA Softball executive director Craig Cress likes the fact that a league with MLB's backing exists for players to join after their college careers. He sees it as an opportunity to keep the top American players facing elite competition so Team USA will be ready for Olympic softball that will be played in Oklahoma City in 2028. Japan has won the past two Olympic gold medals in the sport. Cress said he hopes the AUSL emerges as something comparable to Japan's well-established softball leagues. 'We have a great respect and a great rivalry,' Cress said of the history with Japan. 'But this Olympics on our home soil is our gold medal. We need to go get it. So from that standpoint, I know we've got a long way to go, but that's the end goal.' Cress said it was smart for Athletes Unlimited to add former MLB executive Kim Ng as commissioner and to seek out the league as a partner. He hopes the AUSL can catch fire the way the WNBA has the past two years with Caitlin Clark. 'The WNBA is now starting to really do some things with the star power they have coming in,' he said. 'But what got them to the point to be able to keep their athletes from going overseas to play? It was the involvement of the NBA.' There are indicators that this league could last longer than those that have come and gone over the years, starting with the well-structured support system, stability and the experience Athletes Unlimited had with the sport before launching this league. 'I think that one thing you hear about Athletes Unlimited from anybody that's been around it is we've done what we said we were going to do," Athletes Unlimited co-founder Jon Patricof said. 'We've been around now for five years.' Bri Ellis, who was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year for Arkansas this season, played for the Talons on Saturday after being the No. 2 overall pick in the AUSL draft last month. She said she's thrilled about the timing of the league's rollout. 'It was kind of this relief that I don't have to be done now,' she said. 'I can keep going and keep playing and there's still a story to be written for me in my career, and so I'm just really grateful for everyone that's come before me and has worked their tails off to get the sport to where it is now." ___
