Riley Gaines wants female athletes to BOYCOTT events and give governing bodies ... trends now
Swim star Riley Gaines is calling for female athletes to boycott all events that include transgender competitors after a runner lost out on a state championship place.
California senior Adeline Johnson, 18, placed fourth in the varsity girls' 1,600-meter finals of the CIF-North Coast Section Meet of Champions after being beaten by transgender runner Athena Ryan.
The fourth place spot meant that she misses out on the state championship, and was seen gesturing a thumbs down after the race that took place on Saturday.
Ryan, a junior at Sonoma Academy, came in second and bragged that it was one of her best races, adding that she had shaved vast amounts of time off her best performance.
Ex-NCAA swimmer Gaines exclusively told DailyMail.com: 'It's time to step down and give the governing bodies a big thumbs down just as Adeline has done.'
Riley Gaines is calling for female athletes to boycott all events that include transgender competitors after a runner lost out on a state championship place
Gaines has become a leading voice against the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports after tying for fifth against controversial trans swimmer Lia Thomas at last year's NCAA championship.
As a spokeswoman for the Independent Women's Forum, she has been working to advocate for the Women's Bill of Rights, which would protect biological sex as a distinct legal category.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, she said: 'Instances of women losing out on championships and opportunities are becoming more and more common.
'The governing bodies of sports and elected officials have sent a message to every girl and woman in sport. That message is that we aren't worthy of fairness or protection from discrimination on the basis of sex.
'Women's sports are not a place for males to seek affirmation at the expense of women and girls. They are not a place where women should learn they are defined by the thoughts and feelings in a man's head.
'The public knows this, so It's time the people in powerful positions to make changes know as well.
'Now is the time for women to opt-out. When this issue was made overly public surrounding Lia Thomas, I thought it to be criminal to ask girls to not compete if facing a man.
'But a year later, I've heard from 100s of female athletes who have been injured, exploited in a locker room, or lost out on opportunities to men like Adeline Johnson did which has brought me to the realization that boycott is the quickest and most effective way to prevent this from happening.'
Ryan's second place finish (right) pushed Johnson (left) out of the running for the women's state title
Ryan (back left) had been racing for the boy's team at Sonoma Academy, and then switched to the girls category
Gaines wants female athletes to boycott competitions with transgender athletes, and joined members of Congress on Capitol Hill to advocate for the Women's Bill of Rights, which would protect biological sex as a distinct legal category
Ryan vaulted from sixth place in her last 1,600-meter race to second ahead of a field of senior high school females.
Until 2021 she had been racing for the boys team at Sonoma Academy, and then switched to the girls category.
The California Interscholastic
