Riley Gaines and former ESPN host Keith Olbermann reignited their social media feud this week after the Biden-era Education Department finalized a resolution with the University of Pennsylvania over transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’ participation in women’s athletics.
Olbermann mocked Gaines on X following the announcement, calling her “whiny” and sarcastically congratulating her for being upgraded from fifth to fourth place in a 2022 NCAA race due to Thomas’ records being stripped. “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,” Olbermann posted.
Gaines, a 12-time NCAA All-American and outspoken advocate for women’s sports, fired back. She reminded Olbermann that Thomas had ranked 462nd while competing in the men’s division before transitioning to the women’s team. “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?” she replied.
She also added a jab of her own: “Thank you! And while you’re keeping track, make sure to congratulate Emma Weyant, the right National Champ in the 500 freestyle, too,” referring to Thomas’ controversial 2022 NCAA title.
Thomas, who became the first openly transgender athlete to win a Division I NCAA championship, broke several swimming records that season. But following an investigation by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, UPenn has now updated its official program records, removing Thomas’ name from several categories.
Despite the changes, the school’s website still includes a disclaimer that the records were set “under eligibility rules in effect at the time,” acknowledging Thomas’ role in the 2021–22 season.
The reversal comes as the NCAA moves to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order banning biological males from women’s competition. Earlier this year, the organization confirmed it would now require athletes to compete based on biological sex.
In a statement, Penn President J. Larry Jameson said the school will “fully comply” with Title IX and NCAA policy, and added that intimate facilities like bathrooms and locker rooms will now be “strictly separated on the basis of sex.”