Swimmer Riley Gaines slams ESPN for honoring ‘arrogant cheating’ transathlete Lia Thomas in the Women’s History Month special — as Thomas denies she crossed over to victory, saying “I had no choice.”
- Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer who finished her college career as a champion in 2022, spoke out against Lia Thomas on Sunday
- Lia Thomas, who swam for the University of Pennsylvania until graduating in 2022, broke records in her senior season
- ESPN paid tribute to Thomas – who began transitioning in May 2019 and swam for the women’s team in 2021: Gaines said ESPN’s tribute was unjustified
ESPN has been slammed by a former college swimming champion for including transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in her section dedicated to Women’s History Month, calling the company “spineless” and tweeting the hashtag “boycott ESPN.”
Riley Gaines swam for the University of Kentucky and finished her collegiate career in 2022 as “one of the most decorated swimmers in the program’s history,” according to the British website. She was a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer and a five-time SEC champion.
Gaines competed against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas of the University of Pennsylvania at the NCAA Championships in March 2022 and said the experience with Thomas – who raced in the men’s competition until 2019 – “felt like I was cuffed behind me Hands go back into the race.’
On Sunday, Gaines questioned ESPN’s decision to praise Thomas’ contribution to women’s sports.
Riley Gaines (right) is seen in Atlanta, Georgia in March 2022 after swimming against Lia Thomas (left) at the NCAA Championships
ESPN celebrated Women’s History Month by promoting a special about transgender swimmer Lia Thomas…a biological male who destroyed real women in the pool. pic.twitter.com/gVLa0rz2NN
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) March 26, 2023
“Lia Thomas is not a brave, courageous woman who has earned a national title,” Gaines tweeted.
“He’s an arrogant con man who STOLEN a national title from a hardworking, deserving woman. @ncaa is responsible.
“If I were a woman working at ESPN, I would leave. You’re spineless @espn #boycottESPN.’
ESPN’s segment was titled Celebrating Women’s History Month.
A voiceover explained how Thomas made history by becoming the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division One championship in 500 freestyle in 2022.
The Texan-born athlete swam in men’s competitions until she began her transition in May 2019 and made her debut in women’s races in December 2021.
“Being trans is not a choice,” Thomas said. “I had no other choice because the change would not help me.
“People will say, ‘Oh, she just switched so she has an advantage and can win.’
“I switched to be happy.”
Lia Thomas stars in the ESPN clip describing how moving was the only option for her
Born in Texas, Thomas serves at the University of Pennsylvania
Thomas was the first trans athlete to win an NCAA Division One championship title
Gaines is seen at a rally outside the NCAA convention in San Antonio in January this year
Thomas’s competition as a woman was very controversial.
The swimmer had hoped to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics after graduating – but that now looks unlikely as new rules dictate that trans athletes must switch before the age of 12 by June 2022.
Gaines, who studied public health and is now studying dentistry, has become one of the most outspoken advocates against trans women in sports.
“Whether they have different lung capacities, their size, testosterone levels, whether or not they’ve used testosterone blockers – going through puberty as a man doesn’t suppress you. Especially Lia, who swam for three years as a man,” Gaines told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson in April 2022.
“Lia Thomas has shown extreme selfishness and a great lack of awareness — and just a total disregard for women.”
Gaines said Thomas’ participation in women’s collegiate swimming was part of a broader problem in society.
“We see the denial of the most basic truths,” she said.
“If you can’t appreciate what a woman is, there’s a huge problem.
“It goes deeper than just sport. This is a systematic obliteration of what a woman is.’