Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has deactivated her account on X (formerly Twitter), just weeks after engaging in a heated online exchange with anti-trans activist Riley Gaines.
The gymnast, hailed as the greatest of all time in her sport, left the platform where she had nearly two million followers.
The controversy began when Biles defended a transgender high school athlete who Gaines had criticized. Biles sharply condemned Gaines’ stance, calling her views “truly sick” and adding a personal jab suggesting Gaines should “bully someone your own size.”
After public backlash, Biles issued a public apology, admitting that the subject was “sensitive and complicated” and stressing the need for “empathy and respect” in discussions about trans inclusion in sports.
She clarified that her comments were not meant to undermine fairness in women’s sports but to shield individual athletes — especially minors — from harmful public scrutiny.
Despite Gaines accepting the apology, she continued to criticize Biles, accusing the gymnast of having an “incredibly unpopular and morally indefensible take.” After Biles deactivated her X account, Gaines mocked the move, suggesting Biles was trying to “pretend it never happened.”
While Biles has left X, she remains active on other platforms, including Threads (2.1 million followers) and Instagram (12.4 million followers).
This incident has reignited debates on transgender inclusion in sports, fairness, and the role of public figures in such discussions.
