While Riley Gaines celebrates her pregnancy with a daughter, her battle with Simone Biles over men in women’s sports intensifies as former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner reveals shocking bullying allegations against Biles.
Key Takeaways
- Former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner has accused Simone Biles of “belittling, dismissing, and ostracizing” her during their time as teammates, lending support to Riley Gaines in their ongoing dispute
- Biles initially attacked Gaines with personal insults, calling her “truly sick” and a “sore loser” for advocating against men in women’s sports, before later issuing an apology
- Gaines recently announced she’s expecting a baby girl with husband Louis Barker, using the reveal to subtly reference her ongoing advocacy for protecting women’s sports
- The dispute highlights the broader conservative-backed movement to maintain biological distinctions in women’s sports, supported by President Trump’s administration
- Despite the controversy, Gaines accepted Biles’ apology while maintaining her commitment to advocacy for women’s sports
Former Teammate Reveals Shocking Behavior by Simone Biles
The tension between Riley Gaines and Simone Biles has escalated beyond social media as former Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner stepped forward with damaging allegations against Biles. Skinner claimed she was “belittled, dismissed and ostracized” by Biles during their time as Olympic teammates, lending credibility to concerns about Biles’ treatment of other female athletes. These revelations came after Biles publicly attacked Gaines for her stance protecting women’s sports from male competitors, with Biles calling Gaines a “sore loser” and suggesting she was bullying transgender athletes by advocating for biological women’s sports categories.
“As an athlete who has dedicated years to a sport, I’ve always believed that true competition should elevate us — not diminish others. That’s why it’s deeply troubling to see Simone Biles publicly label a fellow female athlete a ‘sore loser’ — simply for expressing valid concerns about fairness in women’s sports,” Said MyKayla Skinner, former Olympic gymnast.
Riley Gaines Announces Pregnancy Amid Controversy
While the dispute with Biles continued to simmer, Riley Gaines shared joyous personal news at the Young Women’s Leadership Summit and later on social media – she and her husband Louis Barker are expecting their first child, a baby girl. Currently 26 weeks pregnant, Gaines couldn’t help but connect this personal milestone to her professional mission. During her announcement, she subtly referenced the conflict with Biles, who had previously body-shamed her with the comment “Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male,” turning what was meant as an insult into a moment of triumph as she proudly displayed her baby bump.
“Oh my goodness, this has been the hardest secret in the world for me to keep,” Said Riley Gaines, former NCAA swimmer and conservative activist.
Gaines, who married Barker in 2022, has clearly indicated that while her personal life is entering a new chapter, her commitment to advocating for fairness in women’s sports remains unchanged. The timing of her pregnancy announcement served as both a celebration of her growing family and a reaffirmation of why she believes protecting women’s sports matters – now more than ever as she prepares to welcome a daughter into the world. The announcement featured ultrasound photos shared on Instagram, showcasing the couple’s excitement for their upcoming arrival.
The Broader Debate on Transgender Athletes
The exchange between Gaines and Biles represents a microcosm of the larger national debate on transgender participation in sports. Biles initially lashed out at Gaines after the former NCAA swimmer criticized a transgender athlete’s performance in a high school softball game. Biles’s response was swift and personal, calling Gaines “truly sick” and suggesting she was simply bitter about losing a race. This characterization fundamentally misrepresents Gaines’ experience, which involved being forced to compete against and share locker room facilities with male swimmer Lia Thomas.
“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 category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!” Said Simone Biles, Olympic gymnast.
President Trump’s administration has consistently supported efforts to maintain biological distinctions in sports, recognizing the inherent physiological differences that give males competitive advantages over females regardless of hormone treatments. These policies align with Gaines’ advocacy work, which emphasizes protecting fair competition and opportunities for women that many fought decades to establish. Following the backlash to her initial comments, Biles issued an apology for getting personal with Gaines, which Gaines accepted while remaining firm in her position on the importance of sex-based categories in sports.
Looking Forward: Balancing Motherhood and Advocacy
As Gaines prepares for motherhood, she has made it clear that her advocacy work remains important – perhaps even more significant now that she’ll be raising a daughter. The conflict with Biles, while personal and at times heated, has helped bring national attention to issues surrounding fairness in women’s sports. Skinner’s revelations about Biles’ behavior have added another dimension to the conversation, suggesting that the celebrated gymnast’s public persona may not match her private treatment of teammates and competitors who hold different views from her own.
For conservative supporters of women’s sports, Gaines represents a principled voice willing to withstand significant public criticism to advocate for what she believes is right. As both a former elite athlete and soon-to-be mother, her perspective carries particular weight in discussions about the future of women’s athletics and how best to balance inclusivity with competitive fairness. The support she has received from fellow athletes like Skinner suggests that many in the sports world share her concerns but have perhaps been reluctant to voice them publicly due to the intense backlash such positions often generate in today’s polarized climate.
