Who is Riley Gaines, the swimmer at the center of a viral transgender sports clash involving Simone Biles?
Credit: X/Riley Gaines
The social media clash between Olympic gymnast
Simone Biles
and NCAA swimmer-turned-activist Riley Gaines over transgender inclusion in sports seems to be non-stop.
The row began after Gaines criticized the Minnesota State High School League for disabling comments on a post celebrating Champlin Park High School's girls' softball team, which includes a transgender woman player.
Gaines suggested the league was shielding the team from public scrutiny. In response, Simone Biles publicly condemned Gaines on X (formerly Twitter), calling her 'truly sick' and a 'straight up sore loser,' referring to Gaines' tie for fifth place with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Championships.
Biles urged Gaines to stop 'bullying' trans athletes and instead focus on creating inclusive spaces in sports—possibly through new competition categories.
'One thing's for sure,' Biles added, 'no one in sports is safe with you around.'
Credit: X/Riley Gaines
As the clash sparks wider attention, here's a closer look at who Riley Gaines is, what drives her activism, and how she became one of the most polarizing figures in the sports and political landscape.
Early life and education
Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Riley Gaines comes from a deeply athletic family. Her father, Brad Gaines, played football at Vanderbilt University, and her mother, Telisha Gaines, was a softball player at Donelson Christian Academy and Austin Peay State University.
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Riley attended Station Camp High School in Gallatin, where she quickly made a name for herself in competitive swimming, winning both the 100-yard butterfly and freestyle at the 2017 TISCA High School Swim & Dive Championship.
She later attended the University of Kentucky, competing at the highest collegiate level in NCAA Division I swimming. While her exact degree remains unpublicized, her athletic record was formidable.
Swimming career and turning point
Gaines earned 12 NCAA All-American honors during her college swimming career. Her most notable—and controversial—finish came at the 2022 NCAA Women's Championships, where she tied for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
This moment proved pivotal. Gaines later said she felt 'cheated, betrayed, and violated,' claiming it was unfair to compete against a transgender woman.
She retired from competitive swimming shortly after and shifted her focus to activism.
Media presence and activism
Since leaving the pool, Gaines has emerged as a high-profile conservative commentator and vocal critic of transgender inclusion in women's sports. In 2023, she launched the
Gaines for Girls
podcast, which tackles topics like gender identity and fairness in athletics. She has become a fixture on right-wing media platforms such as Fox News and OutKick.
In August 2024, Gaines founded the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute, aimed at supporting legislation and advocacy to ban transgender women from competing in women's sports categories.
One of the most notable flashpoints in her public activism came in April 2023, when she was invited to speak at San Francisco State University by conservative student group Turning Point USA. Protests erupted, and Gaines claimed she was physically assaulted and had to be escorted out by police.
Credit: X/Riley Gaines
Political ties and legislative efforts
Gaines is deeply connected to conservative politics. She initially endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president in 2024 but later switched her support to Donald Trump following an assassination attempt against him. She appeared alongside Trump in February 2025 as he signed an executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in women's sports.
She has also lent her voice and image to campaigns for Republican figures like Rand Paul, Herschel Walker, Daniel Cameron, Kim Reynolds, and Tudor Dixon.
She's testified before multiple state legislatures, including those in Texas and Kansas, backing laws that restrict transgender participation in women's sports.
In May 2025, she became part of a lawsuit filed by Female Athletes United, arguing that transgender inclusion violates Title IX protections.
Net worth and media earnings
As of June 2025, there is no verified estimate of Riley Gaines' net worth. However, speculative figures from unconfirmed sources place it between $500,000 and $2 million. Her income likely stems from media appearances, podcast hosting, speaking fees, and her role at the Leadership Institute.
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