USA Gymnastics has quietly erased its transgender athlete policy pages after a heated public battle between Olympic champion Simone Biles and women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines, prompting former Team USA gymnast Dee Worley to condemn the organization for “cowardice” in addressing the controversial issue.
Key Takeaways
- Former Team USA gymnast Dee Worley criticized USA Gymnastics for removing transgender policy pages, calling it an act of “cowardice” amid controversy.
- Worley claims USA Gymnastics has shown a “steady decline in its ability to have backbone” since 2008, increasingly bending to progressive ideology.
- The criticism follows a public feud between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines regarding transgender athletes in women’s sports.
- Worley predicts USA Gymnastics will release a new policy filled with vague language and loopholes rather than clear protections for female athletes.
- Several USA sports governing bodies have recently amended their transgender policies amid growing opposition to male-born athletes competing in women’s categories.
Worley Calls Out USA Gymnastics’ “Declining Backbone”
Former Team USA gymnast Dee Worley has publicly rebuked USA Gymnastics for removing transgender athlete policy pages from its website, characterizing the move as a display of organizational weakness at a critical time. The policy removal occurred amid an escalating national debate about transgender participation in women’s sports, recently highlighted by a public disagreement between Olympic champion Simone Biles and women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines. Worley’s criticism points to what she describes as a troubling pattern of the organization prioritizing political correctness over protecting female athletes’ competitive opportunities.
In her pointed critique, Worley claimed USA Gymnastics has demonstrated a “steady decline in its ability to have backbone” since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She described the organization’s handling of the transgender athlete issue as clear evidence it has “bent its knee to the woke mob” rather than standing firm on biological reality in competitive sports. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics approaching, the former gymnast expressed grave concern that the leadership vacuum on this contentious issue could fundamentally alter women’s gymnastics competitions in ways that disadvantage female athletes.
The Biles-Gaines Feud That Ignited the Controversy
The removal of USA Gymnastics’ transgender policy pages follows a high-profile social media exchange between Simone Biles, widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time, and Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and advocate for women’s sports. The dispute began when Gaines commented on a transgender athlete competing in a high school softball championship, which prompted Biles to criticize Gaines for what she characterized as bullying trans athletes. Biles initially suggested creating a separate transgender category in sports, while Gaines countered that sports are inherently inclusive by nature but exclusive by competition.
The exchange quickly escalated, with Gaines labeling Biles a “male-apologist” and expressing disappointment in her stance. After significant public attention, Biles issued an apology for “getting personal” with Gaines while clarifying that she wasn’t advocating for policies that would compromise fairness in women’s sports. Instead, Biles stated her belief that sports organizations should develop rules supporting inclusion while maintaining fair competition standards. Gaines subsequently accepted Biles’ apology, though the fundamental disagreement about transgender athletes in women’s sports remains unresolved.
Predicting a Weak Policy Response
Worley’s criticism extends beyond USA Gymnastics’ current silence on transgender policies to what she anticipates will be an inadequate forthcoming response. She predicted the organization will soon unveil an amended policy filled with “vague language” and “loopholes” rather than clear, science-based guidelines protecting women’s competitive categories. This prediction reflects her broader concern that USA Gymnastics has strayed from its fundamental mission of advocating for female athletes in favor of appeasing progressive ideology, regardless of competitive consequences for women gymnasts.
The former Team USA gymnast urged current female gymnasts to “push back” against competing with transgender athletes, encouraging them to take a stand for the future of women’s gymnastics. Her call to action comes as several other Team USA sport governing bodies have also revised their transgender policies, reflecting a growing national conversation about fairness in women’s sports. With public opinion increasingly concerned about biological males competing in female categories, Worley’s criticism highlights the mounting pressure on sports organizations to develop policies that balance inclusion with competitive integrity.
Growing National Resistance to Males in Women’s Sports
Worley’s critique of USA Gymnastics reflects a broader national resistance to policies allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports categories. Across the country, state legislatures have enacted laws restricting transgender participation in women’s athletics, citing inherent physiological advantages that persist even after hormone therapy. These legislative efforts have gained significant momentum as more instances of transgender athletes winning women’s competitions have made headlines, fueling concerns about competitive fairness and opportunities for female athletes.
The controversy within gymnastics represents just one front in a larger cultural and policy battle over sex-based rights and protections. As USA Gymnastics prepares to announce its updated transgender policy, it faces increasing scrutiny from former athletes like Worley, current competitors, parents, and a politically divided public. Whether the organization will establish clear, biology-based eligibility standards or opt for the vague, loophole-filled approach that Worley predicts remains to be seen, but her criticism ensures the decision will face rigorous public examination regardless of its content.
