Simone Biles Leaves X Amid Trans Athlete Dispute

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles deactivated her X (formerly Twitter) account following an online feud with former NCAA swimmer and activist Riley Gaines regarding transgender athletes' participation in women's sports. The dispute started when Gaines criticized a Minnesota high school softball team for including a transgender player, prompting Biles to defend the athlete and call Gaines a 'sore loser.' After Biles' comments drew backlash and personal attacks from right-wing circles, she issued a formal apology stressing the importance of both competitive equity and inclusivity in sports. Some questioned whether Biles actually wrote the apology due to its tone. Gaines mocked Biles' exit from X as surrendering to criticism. While Biles remains active on other platforms, her departure from X has fueled broader debates over athlete advocacy, online harassment, and trans inclusion in sports.