In a surprising turn of events, Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has come under fire for her recent comments against collegiate swimming champion Riley Gaines.
Biles, who has won 11 Olympic medals in women's gymnastics, seven of which are gold, found herself in a heated exchange with Gaines, a staunch critic of men participating in women's sports. Gaines' advocacy was fueled by her experience of competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
Gaines has been at the forefront of efforts to safeguard women's sports, playing a significant role in the passage of state-level legislation and the Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump in February.
The unexpected feud between Biles and Gaines erupted when Gaines responded to a tweet from a high school girls' softball team, suggesting that the team's star player was male.
Biles' response to Gaines' comment was met with widespread criticism. "Youre 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 things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!" Biles tweeted.
According to RedState, Biles' comments were met with a wave of backlash from conservative commentators and athletes. Sage Steele, a conservative commentator and former ESPN co-host, was among those who criticized Biles for her comments.
"Easy to say this @Simone_Biles when you only had to compete against fellow women. Every one of your Olympic medals came competing against fellow women. @Riley_Gaines_ was not only forced to compete against a man, but forced to share a locker room with a man. THAT is SICK. Shocked and disappointed that youd attack another woman who has done nothing but uplift other women," Steele said.
Christian writer Kaeley Triller also expressed her disappointment in Biles' stance. "This is gaslighting, and the bully is you. You could be such a champion for girls; instead youre playing handmaiden to the boys running roughshod over them. Why? For virtue signal points? Identities dont play sports; bodies play sports, and male bodies have male privilege," Triller said.
Gaines herself responded to Biles' comments, expressing her disappointment. "This is so disappointing. My take is the least controversial take on the planet. Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls dreams? Didnt have that on my bingo card. Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028," Gaines said.
The criticism of Biles did not stop there. Other voices joined the chorus, questioning Biles' stance and the implications it could have on women's sports. "Simone should totally allow men to compete against her if this is the sentiment. Because if it happened pre-medals, she wouldnt have one medal or endorsement contract. Its that simple," one critic said.
Interestingly, Biles' stance mirrors that of soccer player Megan Rapinoe, who has also expressed support for transgender athletes in women's sports. Both athletes have made these statements after hinting at retirement, leading some to question the timing of their advocacy.
The controversy surrounding Biles' comments underscores the ongoing debate about the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports. While some argue for inclusivity and the rights of transgender athletes, others, like Gaines, argue for the protection of women's sports and the opportunities they provide for female athletes.
As this debate continues, the role of prominent athletes like Biles in shaping the conversation cannot be underestimated.
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