"THAT is sick" - Sage Steele rips Simone Biles for criticizing Riley Gaines over transgender athletes controversy

11-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles has been in the spotlight this week after calling former US swimmer and activist Riley Gaines "sick" over online comments about a transgender woman softball player. However, Biles has faced a lot of backlash for claiming that Gaines “bullied” the high school teenager.

Hours after Biles criticized Gaines on X on Friday, former ESPN sportscaster Sage Steele ripped the gymnast for her tweet.

"Easy to say this, (Simone Biles), when you only had to compete against fellow women. Every one of your Olympic medals came competing against fellow women. (Riley Gaines) was not only forced to compete against a man, but forced to share a locker room with a man," Steele tweeted.

"THAT is SICK. Shocked and disappointed that you’d attack another woman who has done nothing but uplift other women. If YOU think it makes sense to create a league for trans people, go for it! Use that huge platform of yours! But to attack Riley for what she has done for little girls who want to be the next Simone Biles is……..sick." Steele added.

Sage Steele

@@sagesteele

Easy to say this

@Simone_Biles

when you only had to compete against fellow women. Every one of your Olympic medals came competing against fellow women.

@Riley_Gaines_

was not only forced to compete against a man, but forced to share a locker room with a man. THAT is SICK. Shocked and disappointed that you’d attack another woman who

has done nothing but uplift other women. If YOU think it makes sense to create a league for trans people, go for it! Use that huge platform of yours! But to attack Riley for what she has done for little girls who want to be the next

Simone Biles is……..sick.

The controversy started after Biles tweeted:

"(@Riley Gaines) 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 things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!"

Steele had joined ESPN in 2007. However, she was suspended from the network in 2021 after her comments on political and social issues drew criticism.

In August 2023, Steele left ESPN following a lawsuit settlement. Since March 2024, Steele has been hosting "The Sage Steele Show" on YouTube.

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Riley Gaines responds to Simone Biles's dig about transgender athletes

When Simone Biles criticized Riley Gaines for her tweet about a transgender woman softball player, the latter hit back at the gymnast. In a video posted on social media, Gaines expressed her disappointment in Biles, while accusing the Olympic star of undermining women’s sports in the name of inclusion.

Former US swimmer Riley Gaines - Source: Imagn

“This is a woman who bravely spoke out against sexual abuse in gymnastics,” Gaines said, referencing Biles’s advocacy against former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. “But now she’s asking women and girls to step aside and accommodate males in our spaces. That’s not my job.”

OutKick

@@Outkick

.

@Riley_Gaines_

responds to

@Simone_Biles

Biles hasn't responded to any of the remarks yet.