Anti-transgender rights activist Riley Gaines has never been one to shy away from conflict or controversy.
The former Kentucky Wildcats swimmer did just that last week when she clashed with longtime liberal commentator Keith Olbermann. Olbermann, who once worked for ESPN and MSNBC, now produces his own independent podcast.
Olbermann started the conflict when he commented on an ongoing feud between Gaines and Nebraska Democratic State Senator Megan Hunt.
“Can you address the reality and move past it?” Olbermann asked on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “You sucked at swimming. That’s why you lost,” he wrote, in an apparent reference to Gaines finishing fifth overall in an NCAA championship race featuring Lia Thomas, a transgender woman that Gaines thinks should be banned from competing.
Despite the result of that one race, however, Gaines was a very successful swimmer for Kentucky. As the Community Note that was placed on Olbermann’s post referenced, Gaines was “instrumental” in the Wildcats clinching their first-ever conference championship title in 2021.
That’s when Gaines came back with her response, writing that it made sense why Olbermann got fired from ESPN.
Ah, makes sense now why you got fired from ESPN. https://t.co/Js2q0NMSxu
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) August 31, 2023
Seemingly not satisfied with her response, Gaines made another video post in which she showcased her NCAA trophies:
🥱 https://t.co/rTyZMNcc34 pic.twitter.com/vGPlXrEJoP
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) August 31, 2023
Olbermann did not immediately respond to the final salvo.
