Riley Gaines has reacted to Boise State University forfeiting their match for the second time against San Jose State University due to the presence of Blaire Fleming, who is reportedly a transgender athlete. The former NCAA swimmer turned social media activist took to her X handle to express her thoughts.
The women's volleyball team from Boise State University was one of the first teams to openly boycott their match in the Mountain West Conference league against San Jose State University's volleyball team.
Gaines expressed her support for this decision as she posted,
"This week, Boise State University announced they will forfeit a second match against SJSU. Last night, they played University of Nevada who also forfeited a match against SJSU. The stadium was filled with BOYcott shirts. This is the way. Enough is enough!"
Boise State University has boycotted their match against San Jose for the second time. Previously, institutions like Southern Utah University, University of Wyoming, University of Utah and University of Nevada forfeited their matches against the Spartans.
Riley Gaines had previously supported University of Nevada, when they forfeited their match against San Jose State University, despite the reluctance shown by the university administration.
Riley Gaines on the suspension of San Jose State University assistant coach
Riley Gaines spoke up in favor of Melissa Batie-Smoose, who had spoken out against the presence of Blaire Fleming, and was reportedly sacked from her job for the same. Gaines took to her X handle [formerly Twitter] to slam the university administration for sacking Smoose from her job.
"Yesterday, the SJSU assistant women’s volleyball coach filed a Title IX complaint against her university for allowing a man to play on the women’s team.Today, she was suspended, effective immediately. This is how they get people to comply—through force," Gaines posted on her X handle.
Gaines also recounted the assistant coach's Title IX complaint against the San Jose State University, for which she was supposedly sacked from her job.
"Her suspension comes just a day after this bombshell of an article was released where she laid out all the injustices committed by @SJSU, @MountainWest, and @NCAA. Not just insane practices, totally unlawful," Gaines further added in the same thread.
Before Melissa Batie-Smoose, Riley Gaines had also come out in support of San Jose State University player, Brooke Slusser, who had spoken against the presence of her teammate Blaire Fleming, for which she reportedly received death threats. Gaines called out the university administration for staying silent on this issue.