Kentucky swimmer and former Lia Thomas opponent Riley Gaines has blasted the University of Pennsylvania’s nomination of Thomas for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award; Gaines says it’s a “slap in the face to women.”
Thomas, who is transgender, was the first trans woman to win major titles —including NCAA championships.
Gaines replied to a Tweet from Outkick’s Clay Travis.
“Penn nominated transgender swimmer Lia Thomas as their NCAA woman of the year. Hell of an accomplishment to be woman of the year after only being a woman for a couple of years,” Travis wrote.
Penn nominated transgender swimmer Lia Thomas as their NCAA woman of the year. Hell of an accomplishment to be woman of the year after only being a woman for a couple of years. https://t.co/gW3acTQ1Jl
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 15, 2022
Gains Replied to the tweet, upset over Thomas’ nomination.
“Being the real girl in that photo and also University of Kentucky’s nominee for NCAA WOTY, this is yet another slap in the face to women. First a female national title and now nominated for the pinnacle award in collegiate athletics,” she wrote in a tweet response to Outkick founder Clay Travis. “The @NCAA has made this award worthless.”
“This award combines athletic performance with academics, service, and character. What character has Thomas shown other than sheer selfishness and entitlement? The disrespect and disregard for the other female athletes in Thomas’ interviews is eye-opening.”
https://twitter.com/rileygaines/status/1548156710035984395?s=21&t=za-jVvtzBulRMIFpzvr0sQ
According to Fox News, “Gaines was also nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year by the University of Kentucky after she finished her career in the pool. She won three individual conference titles in the SEC, broke two SEC records, had 12 All-America awards and graduated with summa cum laude honors. She finished behind Thomas in the 200-yard freestyle at the NCAA championships earlier this year.”
“This award recognizes not only athletic performance but also academics, service and character, so to be thought of as someone who embodies all of those things is extremely humbling,” Gaines said in a news release on the school’s athletics website. “I’m aware I was up against a department full of amazing female student-athletes, so I’m very grateful and always proud to be a Wildcat. I have so much love for UK and Big Blue Nation.”
FINA, the governing body for international swimming, has a “gender inclusion policy” that only permits swimmers who transitioned prior to the age of 12 to participate in women’s events.
. @RileyGaines, former Kentucky swimming star, slams nomination of Lia Thomas for NCAA Woman of the Yearhttps://t.co/EuNU2wf0j6
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 18, 2022
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