Riley Gaines Slams Simone Biles’ Transgender Athletes Stance Over Third Category Debate

In a fiery exchange that’s got the sports world buzzing, Riley Gaines has called out Olympic gymnast Simone Biles over a social media jab, pointing to what she sees as an unintended admission in Biles’ stance on transgender athletes. Gaines, a former NCAA All-American swimmer, dissected the post on her podcast, suggesting that Biles’ call for a third category in sports for transgender athletes implies an acknowledgment that transgender women are, in her view, distinct from biological women.

“She’s admitting that by pushing for a separate category,” Gaines argued, hoping Biles recognizes the deeper implications of her words. This isn’t a new concept, though—international bodies like World Aquatics (formerly FINA) have already tried this approach. They introduced an open category for transgender and non-binary athletes at high-level meets, though interest has been lukewarm at best. In fact, a planned open category race at the 2023 Berlin Swimming World Cup was scrapped due to a lack of participants.

Gaines didn’t mince words, rejecting the idea of compromise when it’s not embraced by all sides. “Don’t bring this halfway solution to me,” she said, urging a broader conversation with those directly affected. Meanwhile, the debate continues to ripple through sports, with figures like Lia Thomas, who won an NCAA championship in 2022 and later challenged World Aquatics’ rules, remaining at the center of this polarizing issue. Even policy shifts, like the NCAA’s recent alignment with stricter gender-participation guidelines, reflect the ongoing tension in balancing fairness and inclusion.

This clash of perspectives isn’t just about sports—it’s a mirror to the larger cultural wrestle over identity and equity. And as these two powerhouse athletes spar over words and principles, the arena of public opinion remains as competitive as ever.