OutKick’s Riley Gaines disappointed in ESPN’s coverage of cultural issues 'plaguing America'

The athlete hopes ‘Gaines for Girls’ podcast can provide awareness, truth on critical issues

Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, a leading figure in the battle to protect women from competing against biological men, joined OutKick earlier this month after she was disappointed by the way ESPN covered female sports. 

"I'm so excited to partner with OutKick for a variety of reasons, but one, their understanding of sports," Gaines told Fox News Digital.

Gaines, a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer, gained prominence for speaking out when she was forced to compete against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022. She was also forced to share a locker room with Thomas and has since dedicated her energy to saving women’s sports. As a result of all the turmoil, Gaines feels that "very few" outlets understand sports the way she does. 

RILEY GAINES JOINS OUTKICK, WILL HOST PODCAST DEDICATED TO PROTECTING WOMEN’S SPORTS FROM BIOLOGICAL MEN

Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, a leading figure in the battle to protect women from competing against biological men in female sports, recently joined OutKick. (Getty)

"One of those being ESPN. We've seen the direction that ESPN has gone. They're owned by Disney," Gaines said. "They honored Lia Thomas as this brave, strong, courageous woman during Women's History Month."

Indeed, ESPN brought up Thomas’ transition from male to female, her win at the NCAA Championships and competing amid criticism from the swimming world earlier this year in its "Celebrating Women’s History Month" segment. At the time, Gaines blasted the network and tweeted, "If I was a woman working at ESPN, I would walk out."

Thomas’ participation in NCAA women’s swimming during the 2021-22 season sparked a growing debate over