Biles calls Gaines 'sick' in trans rights row

Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles has called erstwhile US swimmer and activistic Riley Gaines "sick" complete online comments astir a transgender female softball player.

Gaines, who has regularly spoken retired astir transgender women athletes competing successful women's sport, mocked Minnesota State High School League for removing comments connected their station astir nan Chaplin Park girls' squad celebrating nan State Championship.

Chaplin Park's squad includes a transgender female player.

"You're genuinely sick, each of this campaigning because you mislaid a race. Straight up sore loser," Biles wrote connected X.

Gaines tied for 5th spot pinch transgender female Lia Thomas successful nan 200m freestyle swimming astatine nan 2022 NCAA Championships.

Later that year, World Aquatics voted to extremity transgender women from competing successful women's elite races if they person gone done immoderate portion of nan process of antheral puberty.

Thomas has since failed pinch a ineligible situation to alteration nan rules.

"You should beryllium uplifting nan trans organization and possibly uncovering a measurement to make sports inclusive OR creating a caller avenue wherever trans consciousness safe successful sports. Maybe a transgender class IN ALL sports," continued Biles.

"But instead... You bully them... One thing's for judge is nary 1 successful sports is safe pinch you around."

Biles, a seven-time golden medallist, has been an outspoken campaigner for intelligence wellness consciousness passim her career.

She withdrew from nan women's squad last astatine nan Olympic Games successful Tokyo successful 2021, as good arsenic 4 consequent individual finals, successful bid to prioritise her intelligence health.

Gaines responded to Biles successful follow-up posts, saying nan gymnast's stance was "so disappointing" and saying she should not beryllium advocating for transgender women successful women's athletics pinch her platform.

Since tying pinch Thomas successful 2022, Gaines has said she felt "cheated, betrayed and violated".

She has go an advocator for banning transgender women athletes from competing against women and girls.

In February, Gaines was coming astatine nan White House erstwhile United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order excluding transgender girls and women from competing successful women's sports.

In April, judges astatine nan UK Supreme Court ruled that a female is defined by biologic sex nether equalities law.

Since that ruling, a number of UK sporting bodies, including the Football Association and nan England and Wales Cricket Board, person banned transgender women from playing successful women's sport.