Riley Gaines' emotional tweet goes viral as Donald Trump signs executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports

Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and advocate of women's sports, reacted to President Donald Trump banning transgender athletes from participating in women's international sports events. She shared her thoughts on social media, hinting at her relieved emotions.

The US President brought up the controversy surrounding Imane Khelif's gold medal win to highlight concerns over fairness in women's sports. The debate began after Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew from her fight against Khelif, claiming injury woes, just seconds into the match, during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Furthermore, during the 2023 Women's World Championships, Chris Roberts, IBA Chief Executive, did not disclose the test results but stated that the chromosome test made her ineligible for the 2023 games.

On February 5, 2025, the US President signed the order to ban transgender athletes from entering elite sports events, citing Imane Khelif's gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

Gaines reacted to this by stating:

"I can't even tell you how much this visual means to me"

Riley Gaines was at the center of controversy during the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championship when she tied with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle final. However, despite the tie, an NCAA official gave the fifth place to Thomas, while Gaines was informed that she would receive hers later. This event fueled Gaines' advocacy for fairness in women's sports.

Riley Gaines reflects on transgender athletes' participation in elite games

Riley Gaines at 2024 Folds Of Honor Tennessee Rock N' Jock Celebrity Softball Game - Source: Getty

Following Riley Gaines' NCAA competition controversy, in April 2024, she shared her thoughts on the third category for transgender athletes, which centered on the biological difference between males and females and their impact on athletic performance. She shared that even a separate category wouldn't address the core issue.

During an interview with Deseret News, expressing her thoughts, she said:

“I don’t think a third category (for transgender athletes) would suffice. Because at the end of the day, you would still very much have males competing against females. So, do you further break it down between males who identify as women?"

Further in the interview, Gaines expressed concerns that introducing a third category could lead to a range of complexities. She questioned how such a category would be defined, whether it would encompass all transgender women or only those who have undergone certain medical procedures.

The former swimmer pointed out the possibility of divisions within the transgender community such as distinguishing between those who started puberty blockers before puberty and those who did not.