Riley Gaines fires back at Lia Thomas and Keith Olbermann as UPenn aligns with Trump on trans athletes

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Conservative firebrand and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines is back in the headlines.

After the University of Pennsylvania quietly updated its swimming record books, adding asterisks next to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’ 2021–22 victories, Gaines snapped back hard at both Lia and media personality Keith Olbermann.

Penn bows to Donald Trump on trans athlete issue

Penn finally made the move to reflect the NCAA’s revised policy on transgender athletes, which includes putting a little asterisk next to Thomas’ three headline-making records from her 2021–22 season.

It comes after the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) struck a deal with the school over Title IX violations related to Thomas’ participation.

President Donald Trump has been calling on the NCAA to ban biological males from competing in women’s sports.

Earlier this year, Penn made it clear they would align with the new NCAA policies.

"The University will not – on the basis of sex – exclude female students from participation in, deny female students the benefits of, or subject female students to discrimination under, any athletics programs,” they said in a statement. “In addition, in providing to female student-athletes intimate facilities such as locker rooms and bathrooms in connection with Penn Athletics, such facilities shall be strictly separated on the basis of sex and comparably provided to each sex."

Keith Olbermann throws shade, Riley Gaines hits back hard

After Penn added those asterisks, Keith Olbermann just couldn’t resist taking a shot at Gaines. “Wanted to congratulate Whiny Gaines on now being able to say she finished tied for FOURTH not tied for FIFTH in the Lia Thomas race," he posted on X.

For context, Thomas won the 200-meter freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Championships, and Gaines tied for fifth in that race. But with the asterisk now in place, she’s technically tied for fourth.

Gaines fired back, “Thank you! And while you’re keeping track, make sure to congratulate Emma Weyant, the right National Champ in the 500 freestyle, too. (If you’re insinuating 5th in the nation is bad, what do you call a man who ranks 462nd nationally in the men’s category?)”

Riley Gaines feud with Simone Biles

This isn’t Gaines’ first rodeo in a controversy over transgender athletes. Just last month, she was in a full-blown social media feud with gymnastics legend Simone Biles.

It all started when Gaines slammed a Minnesota high school softball team for having transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger on the roster. “Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy," she responded to a picture of the team posted on X.

Biles wasted no time jumping in, accusing Gaines of being petty and hateful.

“You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead You bully them. One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!” she fumed, adding, “Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”

Gaines hit back, “This is actually so disappointing. It’s not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women’s sports with YOUR platform. Men don’t belong in women’s sports and I say that with my full chest.”

She even brought up Biles’ past trauma to highlight what she saw as a contradiction in Biles’ advocacy, referencing her survival of Larry Nassar’s abuse.

Simone Biles apologizes

Eventually, Biles issued a public apology. “I’ve always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport,” she said. “The current system doesn’t adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for.”

She clarified that her issue was with “singling out children for public scrutiny in ways that feel personal and harmful.”

Gaines accepted the apology publicly. “I welcome you to the fight to support fair sports and a future for female athletes. Little girls deserve the same shot to achieve that you had," she added.

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