Latest news with #sportsDebate
The Independent
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Juventus squad caught in awkward interaction with Donald Trump
The Juventus squad were caught between a rock and a hard place when invited to the White House to meet United States president Donald Trump as part of their Club World Cup tour. As the squad posed for photos with the president, Trump asked them for their thoughts on transgender women competing in sport. Trump, who signed an executive order back in February banning transgender participants from women's sports, addressed the Juventus players lining up behind him and asked: 'Could a woman make your team fellas?' The players refused to answer the question and remained silent as photographers snapped pictures of the awkward encounter. When Trump repeated his question, Juventus general manager Damien Comolli replied that the club 'have a very good women's team' but that didn't satisfy the president. 'But they should be playing with women,' Trump responded as Comolli deflected the question. 'He's being very diplomatic.' Debate continues to grow over the rights of trans people in the United States as the US Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that a Tennessee state law banning gender-affirming care for minors would be allowed to stand. The ruling could set a precedent for other lawsuits involving the rights of transgender children. Meanwhile, Juventus will be back in action on Sunday when they face Wydad AC in Philadelphia. The Italian giants won their opening Club World Cup match 5-0 against Saudi Pro League side Al-Ain thanks to goals from Randal Kolo Muani (x2), Francisco Conceicao (x2) and Kenan Yildiz. Of that win Juventus coach, Igor Tudor, said: 'There was lovely energy between the players. That desire to work hard for one another, to run for one another. We are going in the right direction.' Juve now sit top of Group G alongside Manchester City who defeated Wydad 2-0 on Wednesday in their opening match of the tournament.
News.com.au
17-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Is trash talk in Origin dead?!
RLG: Following the lack of war of words between the two camps in the build up to the first two games of the Origin series, it's led to the debate as to whether trash talk is dead in Origin.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS USA gymnastics considering major shake up in the wake of Simone Biles' trans feud
USA Gymnastics is reportedly considering changing its eligibility policies for transgender athletes competing in their events. The spotlight being on the governing body for American gymnastics comes amid a feud between the greatest gymnast of all-time, Simone Biles, and conservative commentator Riley Gaines, over the use of transgender athletes in women's sports. Biles and Gaines have been in a bitter feud over the topic since Friday, when the OutKick personality remarked about a photo containing a transgender high school softball player. Biles response was long and harsh, and been panned by the public, forcing her to pull back on some of her comments in an apology.
National Post
11-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Simone Biles issues stunning apology to Riley Gaines after heated trans athletes feud
The debate over transgender athletes in sports has stirred up many heated debates, including one this week between Olympic legend Simone Biles and Riley Gaines, one of the most prominent conservative voices on the subject. Article content But after their heated online war of words took a personal turn, Biles issued a surprising statement apologizing to the former NCAA swimmer. Article content Article content Article content Biles, who hadn't posted in days since her online sparring session with Gaines, took to X on Tuesday to expand on her original thoughts and also own up to her mistake. Article content 'I wanted to follow up from my last tweets. I've always believed competitive equity and inclusivity are both essential in sport,' the 11-time Olympic medallist gymnast began the lengthy post. '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.' Article content 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… — Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 10, 2025 Article content Article content The beef between Biles, 28, and Gaines, 25, unfolded late last week when the political activist shared a post about a Minnesota high school softball team winning a state championship with a transgender pitcher on its roster and noted that the comments were turned off, writing, 'To be expected when your star player is a boy.' Article content In response, Biles wrote that Gaines was 'truly sick,' and referenced the former swimmer's infamous fifth-place tie with transgender athlete Lia Thomas at a championship event. Article content @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… — Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Riley Gaines unearths old tweet from Simone Biles that 'undermines nonsensical' trans feud
Riley Gaines continued to wage war with Simone Biles over transgender athletes, two days after the gymnast launched her scathing attack on the conservative activist. The USA Olympic hero, 28, hit out at Gaines on Friday night when she compared her to a man after the former swimmer criticized a Minnesota high school softball team for competing with a trans player. The stinging online attack triggered a bitter social media feud between the two with Gaines, the host of OutKick's Gaines for Girls podcast, issuing a series of rebukes. Digging deep: Gaines found a post from 2017 by Biles that she claims undermines the gymnast's current stance on the gender row And now, Gaines, 25, had dug deep into the archives for her latest brutal response. She trawled through eight years' of Biles's social media posts to unearth a 2017 post that she claims undermines the gymnast's current stance on the gender row. 'Ahhhh, good thing guys don't compete against girls or he'd take all the gold medals !!' the old post from Biles read. Gaines reshared the tweet and responded: 'Oop don't you hate it when your past self completely undermines your current nonsensical argument? 'How has 2025 Simone reconciled with the fact 2017 Simone was a 'truly sick bully' by her own standard?' Old post: Gaines unearthed one of the USA Olympic hero's social media posts from 2017 Undermined? The activist claimed that the gymnast's eight-year-old tweet undermines her current stance Gaines has forged a career as a political commentator for OutKick and Fox following her time as a swimmer, where she competed against trans athlete Lia Thomas. Her campaigning has won praise from Donald Trump, who welcomed her to the White House before signing the 'Keeping Men out of Women's Sports' executive order in February. On Friday, Gaines 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.' Attack: Biles attacked Gaines on X on Friday night after her latest remarks on trans athletes It sparked a blistering response from Biles, 28, who first criticized Gaines' view and then compared her appearance to a man. Biles 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!!!!!' She then tweeted at Gaines again, saying: 'Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.' Gaines replied: 'This is actually so disappointing. It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform. Men don't belong in women's sports and I say that with my full chest. 'My take is the least controversial take on the planet. Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams? Didn't have that on my bingo card. Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028.' Gaines then addressed Biles mocking her appearance, saying: 'And the subtle hint at "body-shaming" ???? Plzzzz I'm 5'5".' Gaines continued to hit back by referencing the horrific abuse Biles and other gymnasts suffered at the hands of pedophile doctor Larry Nassar. 'All the horrific sexual abuse [Biles] witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings,' the former collegiate swimmer posted on X following the gymnastics legend's attack. 'You know how many gold medals you'd have if your "inclusive" dream came true? Zero.' Gaines later doubled down, sharing a clip of Biles testifying before Senate about the abuse suffered at the hands of the former team doctor. Alongside it, she posted a screengrab of Biles' tweet. Nassar was a leading doctor at Michigan State and with USA Gymnastics, but used his position within those organizations to sexually abuse young women under the guise of treatment. The gymnast has offered no further comment other than to retweet her original post calling Gaines 'sick'.
