USA Gymnastics Ditches Trans Policy Pages as Biles-Gaines Feud Ignites Sports Debate

USA Gymnastics has quietly removed its transgender eligibility policy pages from its website, leaving observers puzzled about the timing and intent. The vanished pages, once detailing guidelines for athletes and non-binary athletes, now lead to 404 errors, with no official word on when or why they disappeared.

The move comes as a public clash between Olympic icon Simone Biles and conservative activist Riley Gaines sets social media alight. The feud erupted when Biles challenged Gaines’s criticism of a transgender high school pitcher’s state championship win in Minnesota. Gaines, a vocal opponent of trans inclusion in women’s sports, sparked outrage by suggesting the victory was unfair. Biles fired back, labeling Gaines’s remarks “sick” and urging her to “uplift” trans athletes instead.

The debate has exploded on X, dominating trends and fueling heated arguments. Meanwhile, USA Gymnastics’ missing policy pages—once outlining relaxed rules like no longer requiring hormone therapy for trans athletes to compete in their chosen gender category—raise questions about the organization’s stance amid growing scrutiny.

Other sports bodies are also shifting gears. USA Fencing, for instance, is poised to revise its policies to restrict women’s categories to biological females, following protests and federal pressure. A recent executive order from President Trump banning trans athletes from women’s sports reflects a broader public sentiment, with a New York Times/Ipsos poll showing 79% of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, opposing trans inclusion in women’s competitions.

As the Biles-Gaines saga unfolds, it underscores a deeper societal rift over fairness, identity, and the future of sports.