Riley Gaines, a former NCAA All-American swimmer and prominent advocate for women’s sports, has accused Simone Biles of destroying her legacy through a series of controversial social media posts. In an episode of her podcast, ‘Gaines for Girls,’ she argued that Biles’ recent tweets supporting transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports had incinerated the gymnast’s reputation. Gaines, who has been a vocal champion of fairness in sports since her own experience with Lia Thomas in 2022, questioned Biles’ timing and reasoning for taking such a stance.
Biles had initially targeted Gaines after the latter responded to a transgender athlete winning a state championship in Minnesota. In her Twitter post, Biles called Gaines a ‘bully,’ claiming that ‘no one in sports is safe with you around.’ This led to widespread backlash on social media, with many criticizing Biles for undermining her status as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. Gaines argued that Biles’ comments, while well-intentioned, risked erasing her legacy in the sport and potentially ending her competitive career, a pattern she has observed in other athletes like Megan Rapinoe.
The feud between Biles and Gaines has sparked broader discussions about the role of athletes in advocacy and the impact of their public statements on their sports careers. While Biles has defended her position, emphasizing the importance of debate and discussion, Gaines has raised concerns about the potential consequences of such advocacy, especially for young athletes and the integrity of competitive sports.