"When will you listen to women?" - Riley Gaines reacts as Boise State University boycotts semifinals against SJSU amidst Blaire Fleming controversy

Riley Gaines recently reacted to Boise State University boycotting their match against San Jose State University amidst the transgender controversy surrounding Blaire Fleming. Boise State University has decided to boycott their match against San Jose State University's women's volleyball team for the third consecutive time.

Having defeated Utah State University in straight sets, Boise State University was all set to face the San Jose State Spartans, led by Fleming, in the semifinals of the NCAA Mountain West Conference league.

However, the university team has decided to boycott the semifinals against San Jose State University due to Fleming's participation. Gaines reacted to the situation as she posted on her X handle [formerly Twitter],

"BREAKING: the Boise State women's volleyball team @BroncoSportsVB chose option. The girls have bigger balls than any of the cowards in the NCAA, Mountain West conference, and likely the man on the SJSU team.

@NCAA, when will you listen to women?"

Previously, Gaines had called out the authorities on the presence of Fleming. She posted on her X handle,

"These girls [Boise State University team] are faced with an impossible choice:

1) forfeit and end their season prematurely

2) compete against a team with a man

History will not look kindly on the adults who not only failed these girls but betrayed them."

Riley Gaines had also voiced her opinion on a recent federal court ruling in Colorado that pronounced a verdict in favor of Blaire Fleming and the San Jose State University. She claimed that the protesting volleyball players were not allowed to testify against Fleming.

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All about Riley Gaines' take on the controversy surrounding San Jose State University player Blaire Fleming

Riley Gaines' take on the controversy surrounding Blaire Fleming [Image for Representational Purposes] [Image Source : Getty]

In September 2024, Riley Gaines spoke on the controversy surrounding Blaire Fleming for the first time. San Jose State University had won a league match by 9-0. Gaines reacted to the situation as she posted on her X handle,

"It's probably not overly difficult to be 9-0 when you have a man on your team lol"

Gaines then backed the educational institutions who boycotted their matches against the San Jose State University due to the presence of Fleming. She also supported Fleming's teammate Brooke Slusser, when the latter joined the lawsuit against the NCAA for being biased towards trans athletes.

When assistant coach of SJSU Melissa Batie-Smoose [who protested against the participation of Fleming] was reportedly sacked from her job, Gaines called out the authorities for the same. She posted on her X handle,

"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."

Riley Gaines has been persistently campaigning for the exclusion of trans athletes from women's sports since 2022. She had first come into the limelight when she spoke against the bias shown by the NCAA authorities towards the transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championships.

In June 2022, World Aquatics announced that transgender swimmers won't be allowed to participate in elite women's events, including the Olympics.