Sam Phillips Defends Simone Biles, Criticizes Riley Gaines Over Transgender Athlete Debate
The debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports is back in the spotlight, and this time, it’s got some big names tangled up — Simone Biles, Riley Gaines, and Sam Phillips. Things kicked off when Biles, who’s probably the most famous gymnast alive, fired back at Gaines’ criticism of a high school softball team’s championship win. The team’s pitcher was a biological male, and Gaines wasn’t happy about it.
Biles didn’t hold back. She clapped back at Gaines, and soon enough, Sam Phillips, a male gymnast for the University of Illinois and member of USA Gymnastics, jumped in to defend Biles and take a few shots at Gaines himself.
The whole thing exploded on social media. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about one game — it was about fairness, inclusion, and the future of women’s sports in general. Here’s the original report from OutKick if you want the full rundown.
The Spark That Ignited the Feud
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It all started on June 6. Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer known for arguing that women’s sports should be for biological females only, called out a Minnesota high school softball team for winning the state championship with a biological male as their star pitcher.
Simone Biles jumped in fast. She called Gaines *truly sick* and told her to *uplift the trans community* instead of tearing them down.
Biles didn’t stop there. She told Gaines to *bully someone your own size* and added that ironically, that’d be a male. The internet took notice, and the debate got loud in a hurry.
Riley Gaines’ Position on the Issue
Gaines keeps saying she’s not anti-trans. She says she’s just standing up for fairness for biological females in sports.
Her main point? Letting biological males compete in women’s sports could undo years of progress for women. She points to her own experience racing against Lia Thomas, a trans swimmer who won an NCAA women’s title, as a big reason she’s so vocal.
For Gaines, it’s about biology, not identity. She believes fair play is at risk if sports ignore those differences.
Sam Phillips Enters the Conversation
While Biles and Gaines were trading blows online, Sam Phillips, a male gymnast at the University of Illinois and part of USA Gymnastics, stepped in. Phillips, who’s openly bisexual, criticized Gaines and praised Biles for supporting the trans community.
He even said Biles could have won gold in some men’s gymnastics events like floor and vault, and maybe rings if she’d trained for it early on. That’s a bold claim, honestly.
Phillips says he’s written a bunch about transgender athletes in women’s sports. He’s talked with NCAA folks and activist groups, and he really believes sports should bring people together, not push them out.
To him, Gaines is just spreading negativity and hate. Phillips wants sports to be about unity, not exclusion.
Phillips’ Perspective on Inclusion
Phillips argues that shutting out certain athletes from the start means we never get to see what women and other underrepresented groups can really do. He sees Biles’ comments as a win for athletes who feel left out or ignored.
He’s not alone — more athletes and activists are pushing for inclusivity, hoping sports can find solutions that don’t just cut people out.
The Unearthed 2017 Post from Simone Biles
Critics dug up a 2017 social media post from Biles where she seemed to say something different, talking about men taking gold medals from women. People started calling her inconsistent.
Biles hasn’t responded to that old post. After her first exchange with Gaines, she’s kept quiet about it.
The Broader Implications for Women’s Sports
This whole feud shows just how divided the sports world is over fairness versus inclusion. Gaines and her supporters say biological differences give male-born athletes an edge, which isn’t fair to women.
On the other side, folks like Phillips think inclusion matters most, and that sports can adapt to include everyone. The argument isn’t just about gymnastics or swimming — it’s showing up everywhere, from high school games to the Olympics.
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Public Reaction and Media Coverage
The public’s split, no surprise there. Gaines’ fans cheer her for standing up for what they see as fairness and safety in women’s sports.
Biles and Phillips get praise from people who believe inclusion is the right thing to do, and that sports need to change as society does. The media’s divided too, with some outlets painting Gaines as a hero for women’s rights and others calling her an antagonist to the trans community.
This mirrors the bigger cultural fight over gender identity and rights. Nobody’s backing down, and the conversation’s only getting louder.
Final Thoughts
The clash between Simone Biles, Riley Gaines, and Sam Phillips goes way beyond just another social media spat. It digs into a bigger, messier question that sports can’t really dodge anymore.
How do we balance fairness and inclusion—without pushing anyone aside? That’s something every athlete and fan is wrestling with lately.
Maybe it’ll take new policies. Maybe someone will push for different competition categories, or something nobody’s even thought of yet. Either way, this debate isn’t fading out anytime soon, and honestly, it probably shouldn’t.