Swimmer Riley Gaines Rips ESPN For Paying Tributes To Lia Thomas On Women’s History Month segment

Swimming competitor Riley Gaines, a 12-time All-American, criticised ESPN for featuring Lia Thomas in its “Celebrating Women’s History Month” programme.

Gaines has been a leading advocate for equitable treatment of transgender athletes and preventing them from participating against biological females at the highest level of competition in women’s sports. At the NCAA championships the previous year, Gaines and the former Penn swimmer were tied. Thomas’ performance in the pool set off a public uproar.

Swimmer Riley Gaines Rips ESPN For Paying Tributes To Lia Thomas On Women’s History Month segment

“Lia Thomas is not a brave, courageous woman who EARNED a national title,” Gaines tweeted Sunday. “He is an arrogant, cheat who STOLE a national title from a hardworking, deserving woman. The @ncaa is responsible.

“If I was a woman working at ESPN, I would walk out. You’re spineless @espn.”


ESPN didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

“Some will opine that she transitioned in order to get an advantage and win. I changed and became joyful “As Thomas says in the clip.

Although Thomas has undergone hormone replacement therapy, many are still concerned about physical athletic advantages transgender competitors could have over cisgender female competitors.


Thomas’ participation in NCAA women’s swimming during the 2021–22 season ignited a burgeoning discussion about whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete against naturally born females. She became the first transgender woman to win a 500-meter freestyle championship in the Ivy League and then the NCAA.

Lia Thomas spoke about it last month as well.

“We have to let people know as a group that a majority of us female athletes — or females in general — are not okay with this,” she said on the “Unmuted” podcast after tying for fifth place with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the women’s 200-meter NCAA championship.

“If we as female athletes aren’t willing to stick up for ourselves, we shouldn’t expect someone else to stand up for us,” Gaines told The Post. “Someone has to speak out truthfully. So I did.”

“You really have to dedicate your entire four years of college to excelling,” she said of swimming. “It’s a major time commitment, and it’s definitely a lifelong journey.”

Gaines said Thomas’s participation in women’s collegiate swimming is a symptom of a larger societal shift she finds problematic.

 

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