Simone Biles, decorated Olympics gymnast has been embroiled in a heated debate with former US swimmer, Riley Gaines, who is also an activist who works against trans-women participating in women’s sports. The whole debacle started off when Biles called out Gaines for criticizing a high school in Minnesota for winning the state championship while using a transgender player in their team.
Biles’ criticizing Gaines brought plenty of attention on social media with mixed responses. While some trolled the 11-time Olympic gold medal winner for her opinion against Gaines, others voiced their support for Biles and her stance on trans athletes participating in sports. One of those who came out in condemnation of Simone Biles was none other than Sage Steele who formerly worked for ESPN as a sportscaster.
“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 you’d attack another woman who has done nothing but uplift other women. If YOU think it makes sense to create a league for trans people, go for it! Use that huge platform of yours! But to attack Riley for what she has done for little girls who want to be the next. Simone Biles is……..sick.” Sage Steele tweeted against Simone Biles through her X account.
The transgender athlete whom Simone Biles came out in support of is Marissa Rothenberger. Rothenberger started transitioning from male to female at the age of nine and has been playing for the girls’ team at Minnesota State High School League. While Rothenberger has been killing it on the field, her gender identity has brought unwarranted attention and criticism.
Simone Biles Called Riley Gaines A Sore Loser In Tweet That Started It All
Simone Biles was pretty brutal in her attack against Riley Gaines on X, which pretty much started off the entire fiasco on social media. After Gaines condemned the Minnesota high school team, which had trans athlete Marissa Rothenberger on their roster, Biles called her a sore loser and remarked that her activism was only because she lost a race.
Riley Gaines originally started her activism against trans athletes after she was denied a trophy for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle in 2022. Despite her failing to be given a trophy, her opponent, Lia Thomas, a trans swimmer who finished with the same time, was awarded a fifth-place trophy.
Source: Sage Steele’s X account
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Yelle is a broadcast communications graduate from the University of Perpetual Help-Dalta and has pursued a career in television and news writing in Net 25 and Radyo Agila. Some of her works can also be seen through her previous publication in Fastbreak.com.ph.
