A social media feud broke out on June 6, 2025, when Simone Biles responded to former swimmer Riley Gaines’ comment on a post about high school sports. Riley who is now a conservative activist, commented on a Minnesota State High School League on X. The original post celebrated Champlin Park’s softball championship win.
“Meet Champlin Park, the Class AAAA Softball State Champion for 2025,” the original post from Minnesota State High School League. Responding to it, Riley wrote, “Comments off lol To be expected when your star player is a boy.”
In response to Riley’s transphobic comment, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles called the conservative activist “truly sick.”
“You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race,” Simone wrote to Riley on X. “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!!”
@Riley_Gaines_ 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… https://t.co/pjpzuZ0AlO
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025
“But instead… You bully them…” Simone continued. “One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!”
Responding to Simone’s post, Riley continued to purposely misgender trans athletes. “This is actually so disappointing,” Riley responded. “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.”
The social media feud continued to escalate after that. Simone later told Riley to “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.” Then, Riley slammed Simone for the “the subtle hint at ‘body-shaming’ and wrote, “Plzzzz I’m 5’5.” The following day, Riley posted a video in which her husband measured her to prove that she’s “5’5 and a half.”
My height has been settled@Wikipedia please advise https://t.co/Ptn35pyEvh pic.twitter.com/hUfzv10DKS
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 7, 2025
In another post, Riley even went as far as to mention Larry Nassar, who sexually abused young girls, including Simone. “Simone Biles when she had to endure a predatory man Vs Simone Biles when other girls have to endure predatory men,” Riley wrote in one post.
Simone Biles when she had to endure a predatory man
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 7, 2025
Vs
Simone Biles when other girls have to endure predatory men pic.twitter.com/8p9D51seYr
In response, critics called Riley out for how she was responding to Simone.
“If only you were even 10% as successful as Simone, maybe you wouldn’t be this hateful,” one wrote.
Another person added, “she called you out for attempting to get high school students harassed, so you respond by bringing up her childhood sexual abuse.”
