Sponsors Refuse to Say If They’ll Cut Ties With Simone Biles
The article discusses the backlash against Olympic gymnast Simone Biles following her comments on social media directed at women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines.Biles insulted Gaines, who has been outspoken against allowing trans women to compete in women’s sports, leading to calls for boycotts of Biles’ sponsors, including Athleta, Wheaties, and Powerade. Biles’ website, which previously listed her sponsors, was taken down shortly after the incident. Many social media users, including Gaines herself, criticized Biles and threatened to sever ties with brands endorsing her.
Biles and other athletes are ambassadors for Athleta’s “Power of She Collective,” which champions inclusivity in sports. However, there appears to be a contradiction between Biles’ actions and the brands’ messaging regarding women’s rights and equity. Despite reaching out for responses from Biles’ sponsors, none responded to inquiries about their future sponsorship relations considering the ongoing controversy.
Many are calling for boycotts of Simone Biles’ sponsors after she insulted women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines on X over the weekend.
On Monday afternoon, Biles’ website listed nine companies as her sponsors, including Athleta, Wheaties, and Powerade. By Tuesday morning, her website had been taken down, promising a new one “coming soon.”
Gaines commented on Sunday that she will no longer be shopping at Athleta specifically. Many others on X threatened the same or questioned the consistency of the brand’s pro-woman messaging and Biles’ comments. The Federalist reached out to each of the nine companies, asking them if they planned to continue sponsoring Biles in light of her comments attacking Gaines and defending men in women’s sports. None of them responded.
When Riley Gaines called out Champlin Park High School in Minnesota for allowing a boy to pitch on the girl’s softball team — the team ultimately won them the state championship after he pitched a shutout — Biles responded by calling her a “sore loser” and a “bully.” She posted again shortly after telling Gaines to pick on someone her own size, then doubled down by reposting her original reply. She has not yet deleted, explained, or apologized for her comments.
Biles and eight other female athletes, including her fellow Olympian Katie Ledecky, are listed as ambassadors for Athleta’s Power of She Collective, which partners with the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF). WSF advocates for “LGBTQ+” equity and inclusivity in sports. Athleta’s parent company, Gap Inc., pushes DEI messaging and touts its “Inclusion and Belonging” groups for employees.
Powerade, another of Biles’ sponsors, launched a campaign with the U.S. Soccer Foundation called “Power Has No Gender” to create “safe spaces” for girls to play soccer in 2019, according to Forbes. However, the brand is owned by the Coca-Cola company, which claims to support “LGBTQI-focused” organizations like the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and The Trevor Project. The company, which sponsored the 2022 Beijing Olympics, also refused to condemn the Chinese Communist Party for genocide ahead of the games, as The Federalist reported.
Wheaties, owned by General Mills, was also listed among Biles’ sponsors as of Monday. General Mills proudly celebrates its LGBT advocacy and an employee network called “Betty’s Family” for “LGBTQ+ employees and allies.”
Biles’ other sponsors are Spieth America, Nulo, MasterClass, Fr1ends of Ch1ldren, Axonius, and GK Elite. None of them responded to The Federalist’s request for comment.
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