Simone Biles responds to Riley Gaines and MyKayla Skinner’s SCOTUS message

Simone Biles draws focus after SCOTUS ruling sparks debate

Simone Biles stepped into the women’s sports debate on **15 July 2026** after Riley Gaines and MyKayla Skinner called out her stance following a landmark SCOTUS ruling. The gymnastics superstar’s reaction arrived as the latest flashpoint in a national argument over fairness and inclusion.

What happened?

On **15 July 2026**, Riley Gaines and MyKayla Skinner posted messages aimed at Simone Biles after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that intensified the debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports. The two former college swimmers and outspoken advocates for biological-female fairness took direct aim at Biles in social-media posts that framed the issue as a matter of protecting women’s categories. Their remarks arrived within hours of the decision, which expanded legal tests for policies that separate sports by sex.

Gaines, a 2023 NCAA swimming runner-up, and Skinner, a 2012 U.S. Olympic gymnastics silver medalist, both tagged Biles in posts that questioned her silence on the ruling. The posts did not claim a direct response from Biles at the time they were published.

Why it matters for Simone Biles

The SCOTUS decision landed as Biles, 29, prepares to chase a record-extending fifth all-around world title in October 2026. Her profile as the most decorated gymnast in history makes any stance she takes a magnet for attention, especially on issues that split fans and federations. The ruling itself does not change USA Gymnastics policies, but it raises the stakes for how sports bodies write eligibility rules ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Biles has not issued a formal statement on the SCOTUS ruling. Yet the timing of Gaines’s and Skinner’s posts-landed the same day as the decision-turned a policy debate into a social-media confrontation that now orbits her name. The exchange also revived scrutiny of past comments Biles made in support of inclusion, which critics now juxtapose against the ruling’s language on sex-segregated sports.

What comes next?

USA Gymnastics said it will review the SCOTUS decision before updating its transgender-athlete policy, which currently follows international federation guidelines. A spokesperson told reporters the federation expects to publish any changes by late August 2026, well ahead of the October World Championships in Rotterdam.

Gaines and Skinner have both signaled they will keep pressing lawmakers and sports bodies to adopt “sex-based” eligibility standards. Their posts on **15 July 2026** mark the start of what they call a sustained campaign targeting federations that they say have failed to act. Meanwhile, Biles remains focused on training in Texas, where she is refining her Cheng vault and triple-double dismount for the autumn season.

The collision of elite sport and legal rulings means Biles could face fresh questions when she competes in Rotterdam. Whether she chooses to address the SCOTUS ruling directly or stays silent, her presence alone will keep the issue in the spotlight-and in headlines.