Latest news with #ChaplinPark
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘You're truly sick' – Simone Biles in transgender war of words with swimmer
Biles, the seven-time Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast, called Gaines 'sick' and, as they then exchanged views on X, said: 'Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male'. That prompted condemnation of Biles from the British Olympic swimming medallist Sharron Davies. 'Not defending women's sport after you've had your career, thank you very much, pulling the drawbridge up after you, then comparing a woman to a man as an insult … I thought better of you,' she wrote. The row began after Gaines responded to a photograph of a post by the Minnesota State High School League which showed the Chaplin Park girls' team celebrating the State Championship. Gaines, who competed as a college athlete against the transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, then responded to the picture with the message: 'To be expected when your star player is a boy.' This prompted speculation beneath her post about which of the children was transgender. Biles wrote: 'You're truly sick, 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. But instead... You bully them... One thing's for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around.' In a series of posts, Gaines replied: 'Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams? Didn't have that on my bingo card. So disappointing. My take is the least controversial take on the planet. 'It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. 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.' Of the remark about her size: Gaines added: 'And the subtle hint at 'body-shaming' ???? Plzzzz I'm 5'5'.' Gaines had tied for fifth place with Thomas in the 200m freestyle swimming at the 2022 NCAA Championships before World Aquatics voted to change the rules and stop transgender athletes who had gone through male puberty from competing in women's races. Thomas has since failed with a legal challenge to change the rules. Gaines said she felt 'cheated, betrayed and violated' by competing against Thomas and was present at the White House in February when Donald Trump, the US president, signed an executive order excluding transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. In April, the UK Supreme Court ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. Since that ruling, a number of UK sporting bodies, including the Football Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board, have followed governing bodies such as World Aquatics, World Athletics and British Cycling in changing their rules to base the female category according to biological sex. Following the very public row between Biles and Gaines, tennis legend Martina Navratilova asked to speak personally with Biles. 'I would love to talk to you about this… pretty sure there is more to it than you know at this time…Respectfully, Martina,' she wrote.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Simone Biles and Riley Gaines clash over trans athletes in women's sports
Simone Biles took aim at former U.S. NCAA swimmer turned conservative pundit Riley Gaines on Friday over the latter's recent comments advocating for the exclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports. Gaines was among more than a dozen college athletes who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in March 2024, accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete at the national championships in 2022. In that championship, Thomas and Gaines tied for fifth but only Thomas was handed the fifth-place trophy in the 200-yard final. Since then, Gaines has become an activist staunchly opposed to having transgender athletes in women's sports. Recently, Gaines' commentary has also included spotlighting and, in some cases, vilifying transgender youth for their involvement in women's and girls' sports. On Friday, she targeted the Minnesota State High School League for not allowing comments on their post about the Chaplin Park girls' team celebrating the state championships. Chaplin Park's team includes a trans-athlete. "Comments off lol," Gaines commented in a post on X. "To be expected when your star player is a boy." Biles, an outspoken campaigner for mental health awareness throughout her career, quickly criticized Gaines' comments on social media. "You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race," Biles said, referencing Gaines' fifth-place finish. "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," Biles continued. " bully them. One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!" She added: "Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male." Gaines responded to Biles in follow-up posts, saying the seven-time gold medalist's stance on transgender athletes was "so disappointing" and labeled her a "male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams." The former swimmer insinuated that Biles should participate in men's gymnastics due to her viewpoints. "Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028," Gaines said. Gaines also brought up Larry Nassar, a former national team doctor who sexually abused multiple U.S. gymnasts, including Biles, under the guise of medical treatment. "All the horrific sexual abuse @Simone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings. You know how many gold medals you'd have if your 'inclusive' dream came true? Zero," she wrote. Musk alleges Trump's name appeared in Epstein files as feud escalates Trump says he's disappointed by Musk criticism of budget bill, Musk says he got Trump elected Dad says son "may never be the same" after alleged hazing
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Simone Biles in transgender war of words with ‘sick' swimmer
A war of words has broken out between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines, the swimmer who has been an outspoken campaigner against allowing transgender athletes in women's sport. Biles, the seven-time Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast, called Gaines 'sick' and, as they then exchanged views on X, said: 'Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male'. That prompted condemnation of Biles from the British Olympic swimming medallist Sharron Davies. 'Not defending women's sport after you've had your career, thank you very much, pulling the drawbridge up after you, then comparing a woman to a man as an insult … I thought better of you,' she wrote. The row began after Gaines responded to a photograph of a post by the Minnesota State High School League which showed the Chaplin Park girls' team celebrating the State Championship. Gaines, who competed as a college athlete against the transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, then responded to the picture with the message: 'To be expected when your star player is a boy.' This prompted speculation beneath her post about which of the children was transgender. Biles wrote: 'You're truly sick, 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. But instead... You bully them... One thing's for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around.' In a series of posts, Gaines replied: 'Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams? Didn't have that on my bingo card. So disappointing. My take is the least controversial take on the planet. 'It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. 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.' Of the remark about her size: Gaines added: 'And the subtle hint at 'body-shaming' ???? Plzzzz I'm 5'5'.' Gaines had tied for fifth place with Thomas in the 200m freestyle swimming at the 2022 NCAA Championships before World Aquatics voted to change the rules and stop transgender athletes who had gone through male puberty from competing in women's races. Thomas has since failed with a legal challenge to change the rules. Gaines said she felt 'cheated, betrayed and violated' by competing against Thomas and was present at the White House in February when Donald Trump, the US president, signed an executive order excluding transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. In April, the UK Supreme Court ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. Since that ruling, a number of UK sporting bodies, including the Football Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board, have followed governing bodies such as World Aquatics, World Athletics and British Cycling in changing their rules to base the female category according to biological sex. Following the very public row between Biles and Gaines, tennis legend Martina Navratilova asked to speak personally with Biles. 'I would love to talk to you about this… pretty sure there is more to it than you know at this time…Respectfully, Martina,' she wrote. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Biles calls Gaines 'sick' in trans rights row
Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles has called former US swimmer and activist Riley Gaines "sick" over online comments about a transgender woman softball player. Gaines, who has regularly spoken out about transgender women athletes competing in women's sport, mocked Minnesota State High School League for removing comments on their post about the Chaplin Park girls' team celebrating the State Championship. Chaplin Park's team includes a transgender woman player. "You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser," Biles wrote on X. Gaines tied for fifth place with transgender woman Lia Thomas in the 200m freestyle swimming at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Later that year, World Aquatics voted to stop transgender women from competing in women's elite races if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty. Thomas has since failed with a legal challenge to change the rules. "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," continued Biles. "But instead... You bully them... One thing's for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around." Biles, a seven-time gold medallist, has been an outspoken campaigner for mental health awareness throughout her career. She withdrew from the women's team final at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, as well as four subsequent individual finals, in order to prioritise her mental health. Gaines responded to Biles in follow-up posts, saying the gymnast's stance was "so disappointing" and saying she should not be advocating for transgender women in women's sport with her platform. Since tying with Thomas in 2022, Gaines has said she felt "cheated, betrayed and violated". She has become an advocate for banning transgender women athletes from competing against women and girls. In February, Gaines was present at the White House when United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order excluding transgender girls and women from competing in women's sports. In April, judges at the UK Supreme Court ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. Since that ruling, a number of UK sporting bodies, including the Football Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board, have banned transgender women from playing in women's sport. Thomas wins US collegiate swimming title Trans athletes no threat to women's sport - Thomas
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Biles calls Gaines 'sick' in trans rights row
Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles has called former US swimmer and activist Riley Gaines "sick" over online comments about a transgender woman softball who has regularly spoken out about transgender women athletes competing in women's sport, mocked Minnesota State High School League for removing comments on their post about the Chaplin Park girls' team celebrating the State Park's team includes a transgender woman player. "You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser," Biles wrote on X. Gaines tied for fifth place with transgender woman Lia Thomas in the 200m freestyle swimming at the 2022 NCAA that year, World Aquatics voted to stop transgender women from competing in women's elite races if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty. Thomas has since failed with a legal challenge to change the rules. "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," continued Biles. "But instead... You bully them... One thing's for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around."Biles, a seven-time gold medallist, has been an outspoken campaigner for mental health awareness throughout her withdrew from the women's team final at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, as well as four subsequent individual finals, in order to prioritise her mental responded to Biles in follow-up posts, saying the gymnast's stance was "so disappointing" and saying she should not be advocating for transgender women in women's sport with her tying with Thomas in 2022, Gaines has said she felt "cheated, betrayed and violated". She has become an advocate for banning transgender women athletes from competing against women and February, Gaines was present at the White House when United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order excluding transgender girls and women from competing in women's April, judges at the UK Supreme Court ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities that ruling, a number of UK sporting bodies, including the Football Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board, have banned transgender women from playing in women's sport.
