Swimmer Riley Gaines slams ESPN for Lia Thomas Women’s History Month section

Riley Gaines, a 12-time All-American swimmer who competed at Kentucky, blasted ESPN for honoring Lia Thomas in its “Celebrating Women’s History Month” section.

Gaines has been on the forefront of ladies’s sports activities calling for truthful therapy and preserving transgender girls from competing in opposition to organic females on the highest degree of competitors. Gaines tied with the previous Penn swimmer on the NCAA championships final 12 months. Thomas’ efficiency within the pool precipitated a nationwide firestorm.

University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after ending tied for fifth within the 200 freestyle finals on the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18, 2022, in Atlanta. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Images)

“Lia Thomas isn’t a courageous, brave girl who EARNED a nationwide title,” Gaines tweeted Sunday. “He is an boastful, cheat who STOLE a nationwide title from a hardworking, deserving girl. The @ncaa is accountable.

“If I used to be a girl working at ESPN, I might stroll out. You’re spineless @espn.”

ESPN did not instantly reply to Fox News Digital’s request for remark.

The section introduced up Thomas’ transition from male to feminine, her win on the NCAA Championships and competing amid criticism from the swimming world.

Lia Thomas after profitable the 500-yard freestyle in the course of the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship on the McAuley Aquatic Center on March 17, 2022, in Atlanta. (Mike Comer/NCAA Photos by way of Getty Images)

ESPN HONORS LIA THOMAS IN ‘CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH’ SEGMENT

“People will say, ‘Oh, she simply transitioned so she would have a bonus so she may win.’ I transitioned to be completely satisfied,” Thomas says within the section.

Thomas’ participation in NCAA girls’s swimming in the course of the 2021-22 season sparked a rising debate over the equity of transgender girls competing in opposition to organic females. She turned the primary transgender girl to win an Ivy League Championship and later an NCAA Championship within the 500 free.

Pennsylvania’s Lia Thomas smiles after profitable the 100-yard freestyle last on the Ivy League girls’s swimming and diving championships at Harvard University, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

But the wins didn’t come with out scrutiny and put a sharper give attention to the governing our bodies of varied sports activities to set guidelines concerning transgender athletes’ participation.