Riley Gaines Calls Out ESPN for Silencing Her, Shares Wild Encounter With NCAA Head Mark Emmert

Riley Gaines has become a prominent women’s sports advocate, but she cannot do it alone.

During Friday’s “Hot Mic” podcast with Jonathan Hutton and Chad Withrow of OutKick, the former University of Kentucky swimmer discussed the infiltration of biological males in women’s sports.

Gaines shared her discomfort in sharing the locker room with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, while the NCAA tried to bypass the issue by temporarily making locker rooms unisex.

Gaines also spoke about the injustice of having a fifth-place trophy taken from her because Lia Thomas was supposed to have it for pictures.

Now she is fighting to ensure that other women don’t have to go through the same ordeal.

Riley Gaines Asks for More People to Speak Up to Save Women’s Sports

Gaines receives messages of support from a plethora of people, including coaches, athletic directors, and college presidents, but these people remain quiet publicly.

Because of the possibility of lawsuits, backlash, and the fear of drawing negative attention, these people refuse to rock the boat.

“When they first said this to me, I felt so humbled. I thought, ‘Wow, I’m doing the right thing,’” Gaines said. “But now a year later, I don’t feel honored when these people say this to me because I have realized that silence is complicity. These people know it’s wrong. They know that it’s not right or ethical or fair to allow men into women’s spaces and sports, yet they’re still not standing up to it.”

Gaines stated that one of these people was then NCAA President Mark Emmert.

At an event honoring the NCAA Woman of the Year, where Gaines and Lia Thomas were both nominees, Emmert spoke to Gaines, wishing her well in her fight.

“He came up to me and said, ‘Keep fighting. We support you,’” she recalled. “But the irony because he’s literally the one we are fighting.”

In March 2022, Emmert wrote a letter about the future of transgender athletes in women’s sports.

“As the top governing board of the NCAA, the Board of Governors firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports,” Emmert wrote. “The NCAA Board of Governors expects that all student-athletes will be treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to ensuring that NCAA championships are open for all who earn the right to compete in them.”

The Tide May be Turning

Last year, the World Aquatics (previously known as FINA) banned transgender athletes from competing in international women’s swimming events.

Following their lead, the track and field governing body took similar action earlier this month.

Gaines believes that people are beginning to see things differently.

“People are fed up with all this gender ideology, propaganda stuff that’s being pushed,” she said. “Initially, they wanted to be seen as inclusive and virtue signaling all the things, but I think people are realizing how this is harmful, specifically to women and specifically to children.”

However, media outlets like ESPN, according to Gaines, are silencing individuals like her.

“It’s disturbing to think about how our freedom of speech is being suppressed,” she said.

Gaines has one last appeal to her audience, be they parents, medical professionals, coaches, or athletes.

“Using your voice is crucial,” she stated. “Be bold. Be loud. Don’t be afraid to ruffle feathers.”

You can watch her complete interview on “Hot Mic” here: