Right-wing media star Megyn Kelly called out US Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles after the gold medalist’s blistering attacks on anti-trans activist Riley Gaines.
On Friday, Gaines – a former swimmer who used her defeat to a trans woman to launch a career as a political commentator – retweeted a picture of Minnesota team Champlin Park celebrating the state high school title that they won with transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger on the team.
‘Comments off lol,’ Gaines wrote in response to the post. ‘To be expected when your star player is a boy.’
It sparked a strong response from Biles, 28, who first criticized Gaines’ view and then compared her appearance to a man.
Gaines then responded by shockingly invoking the sexual abuse that Biles received at the hands of convicted sex offender Larry Nassar – a remark which drew scorn from sports commentators.
But in an episode of her eponymous show, Kelly appeared to take a similar tack, also invoking Biles’ abuse from Nassar as she appeared to shockingly suggest that Biles’ defense trans women could lead to young female athletes suffering a similar fate.
Simone Biles was called out by a right-wing commentator for her attack on Riley Gaines
Megyn Kelly invoked the abuse Biles suffered under Larry Nassar and was ‘ashamed of her’
Biles and Gaines (pictured) sparked a war of words as the gymnast defended trans athletes
‘Simone Biles, you know nothing! You know only about your own circumstances. Take two minutes to do a little research or other little girls are going to get hurt just like you did,’ Kelly screamed.
‘Shame on her, I’m ashamed of you Simone Biles. You have a chance to undo it by, as the left would say, “educating yourself.” But she won’t because she’s on the side of the virtue signalers.
‘I guess now that she’s sufficiently past her prime, she wants everyone to know what a leftist woke person she is and she can kiss the support she used to have from the entire country goodbye.’
Biles triggered the war of words with Gaines last Friday when she wrote: ‘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!!!!!’
Biles then tweeted at Gaines again, saying: ‘Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.’
The Olympic gymnast broke her four-day silence by writing on X: ‘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.’
Biles, one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, later apologized for her attacks on Gaines
Gaines has consistently campaigned against trans athletes competing in women’s sports
Biles continued: ‘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.’
Biles also shared her apology on Instagram, captioning an image of her statement with three silver hearts.
Her husband Jonathan Owens, an NFL player for the Chicago Bears, also shared the statement on his own Instagram.
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. A couple of things. Sports ARE inclusive by nature. Anyone can and everyone SHOULD play…’
The 28-year-old Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medal winner and considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, was slammed for her comments.
Many female athletes were adamant that it is unfair for trans competitors to line up alongside them.
