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.
Lia Thomas is not a brave, courageous woman who EARNED a national title. 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 #boycottESPN https://t.co/DF3n5RWsmV
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) March 26, 2023
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.
Former Kentucky swimmer @Riley_Gaines_ has had it with ESPN's foolishness.https://t.co/MgFLzyqC8I
— OutKick (@Outkick) March 26, 2023
Although Thomas has undergone hormone replacement therapy, many are still concerned about physical athletic advantages transgender competitors could have over cisgender female competitors.
University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines slams elite athletes …
They're giving her the Moniker of "activist against transgender women." How ridiculous . She is an author/speaker And an awesome women's athlete.
She's got a great name too. I don't think she's related to pic.twitter.com/oBCUvtlSOI— Ron cohen (@Roncohe54918265) March 26, 2023
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.
1 year ago today we watched Lia Thomas become the first male to win a D1 national title in the women's category. Notice how Thomas beats the fastest females in the entire country by body lengths…. @NCAA you're responsible. pic.twitter.com/ocNHaoViDJ
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) March 17, 2023
Lia Thomas spoke about it last month as well.
I will never forget the day the NCAA robbed Riley Gaines. Being a former D1 swimmer myself, my heart sank for the women who spent years training for this opportunity.
At the 2022 NCAA Championship swim meet, @Riley_Gaines_, a three-time NCAA qualifier & https://t.co/Y6glhrlnmE… pic.twitter.com/tFKmkua3Xr
— 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐞 (@stoic_sith) March 24, 2023
“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.”
Dear @espn: do you believe that by honoring Lia Thomas, a biological male who identifies as female, for your "Celebrating Women’s History Month", that you are doing anything positive for women’s sports? You are pandering to the “woke” mob. @Riley_Gaines_ https://t.co/81Nd8TlYw6
— David Burke 🇺🇸 (@ConservativeTht) March 26, 2023
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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