Simone Biles, one of the most decorated gymnasts in history, is known for her gravity-defying flips, record-breaking titles, and unapologetic authenticity. But recently, she made headlines not for her athletic achievements—but for something far more cryptic. After quietly deleting her X (formerly Twitter) account, Biles dropped a mysterious message that has fans and critics alike buzzing with speculation. Was it about Riley Gaines? Was it in response to the trans athlete debate? Or is there more beneath the surface?
Simone Biles might have deleted her X account after her feud with Riley Gaines, but the Olympian is still speaking out on Instagram. Biles apologized for getting personal while attacking Gaines for her anti-trans campaigning earlier this month, telling the former swimmer to ‘bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.’ After intensifying scrutiny, the Olympian deactivated her account on Sunday but shared a quote on her Instagram story on Monday that read: ‘Strength is what we gain from the madness we survive’.
Biles initially sparked her feud with Gaines when the OutKick host criticized a Minnesota high school softball team for competing with a trans pitcher. During her swimming career, Gaines competed against trans athlete Lia Thomas at an NCAA meet in Atlanta, tying for fifth. ‘You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,’ Biles wrote on X three weeks ago after Gaines called out the Minnesota team.
‘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. Four days later, Biles publicly apologized on X, writing: ‘I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport. ‘The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for.’
Gaines replied: ‘I accept Simone’s apology for the personal attacks including the ones where she body-shamed me. I know she knows what this feels like. She’s still the greatest female gymnast of all time.’ In a lengthy apology, Biles also admitted she didn’t have the answers on how to include trans athletes in sports in a way that keeps everyone happy – seemingly acknowledging how polarazing her criticism of Gaines had been.
Biles wrote: ‘These are sensitive, complicated issues that I truly don’t have the answers or solutions to, but I believe it starts with empathy and respect. I was not advocating for policies that compromise fairness in women’s sports. My objection is to be singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful. ‘Individual athletes — especially kids — should never be the focus of criticism of a flawed system they have no control over. ‘I believe sports organizations have a responsibility to come up with rules supporting inclusion while maintaining fair competition. We all want a future for sport that is fair, inclusive, and respectful.’
