Do we like Simone Biles?
Our score: 8 out of 10. She went public against the system that failed abuse survivors, backed teammates at a cost, and apologised for her one nasty online blow-up.
The institutions did eventually pay. In April 2024 the Justice Department announced a $138.7 million settlement of 139 claims by more than 100 Nassar victims, Biles among them, over the FBI's handling of their abuse allegations. A Justice Department official said the allegations should have been taken seriously from the outset.
The harm check is where she got the most heat. In June 2025 Biles went after Riley Gaines over her comments about a trans pitcher on a Minnesota high school softball team, calling her a “sore loser” and accusing her of bullying trans athletes. Gaines hit back, calling her stance disappointing and suggesting Biles could try men's gymnastics events.
Biles then apologised, but only for the tone. She said it “didn't help for me to get personal with Riley” and called on sports bodies to write rules that support inclusion while keeping competition fair. Gaines accepted the apology and said she still disagrees on the issue. Where you land depends on how you read the substance, but nothing here is hateful: her own words push for inclusion, and no harmful company or projects turned up.
She backs her teammates when it counts. When the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling cost Jordan Chiles her bronze, Biles said she wanted justice for her and questioned whether the correct procedures were followed. She also said she'd keep supporting Chiles privately.
So: would we support her? Yes. She's a survivor who testified and a teammate who defends others. She sided with trans kids when it was unpopular, and her worst moments were a snippy caption and a personal jab she took back. That's a high score on a page that is hard to please.