Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who famously tied with trans swimmer Lia Thomas in the 2022 championships, has called for criminal prosecution of officials who allow trans athletes to compete in women's sports.
"I would love to see prosecution because I believe what is happening is criminal," Gaines told Fox News Digital. "The way that we have been told that a man's feelings matter more than our physical safety, than our rights to participate, to call ourselves champions, I believe that is a criminal action, therefore I believe it is a criminal offense."
Gaines specifically targeted Georgia Tech president Angel Cabrera, whose institution hosted the 2022 championships.
"Someone somewhere has to be made an example of, otherwise you will have the woman-hating Democratic Party continue with full steam ahead," she said.
Riley Gaines is demanding prosecution of officials
GETTYFour months after President Donald Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order, several Democrat-controlled states continue to defy federal directives by allowing trans athletes to participate in girls' and women's sports.
States including California, Maine, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington have chosen to follow their own state laws rather than comply with the executive order, leading to ongoing controversies at high school level competitions.
The Trump administration's press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested in an April press conference that violators could face prosecution, asserting that Trump's order and Title IX constitute federal law.
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Despite these warnings, Democrat-led states have maintained their positions.
The administration has responded with investigations and lawsuits, but has stopped short of pursuing criminal charges against officials who continue to permit trans athletes in women's sports.
The defiance has manifested in numerous incidents across these states, with biological males competing in and often dominating high school girls' sports competitions in recent months.
California faces a Monday deadline from the Department of Justice to amend its policies that permit trans athletes in girls' sports. The state, along with Minnesota and Massachusetts, is under federal investigation over its high school sports leagues.
Maine has experienced temporary funding pauses that have since ended, alongside a Department of Justice lawsuit challenging its stance on the issue.
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Oregon and Washington have similarly maintained their existing state laws despite the federal executive order.
These states have openly prioritised their local legislation over federal directives, creating a patchwork of policies across the nation that continues to fuel controversy four months after Trump's order took effect.
The Trump administration's response has been limited to investigations, funding freezes and legal action rather than the criminal prosecutions some activists are demanding.
The University of Pennsylvania, where Lia Thomas competed, faced a funding freeze. Maine experienced temporary funding pauses that have since been resolved, alongside a Department of Justice lawsuit.
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Riley Gaines tied with a trans athlete in 2022
GettyThree state high school sports leagues in California, Minnesota and Massachusetts are under federal investigation. California has been given a deadline of Monday to amend its policies.
William Bock, attorney for Gaines and other female swimmers, believes prosecution is "necessary" after four months of defiance.
"People have known for four months now, and if three-four months later, you're still knowingly defying federal law, then of course a prosecution makes sense, and it's evidently necessary to protect women," he told Fox News Digital.
The NCAA changed its gender eligibility policy one day after Trump's executive order, stating that only females can compete in the women's category in official competition.
However, the policy has faced criticism for lacking tangible enforcement mechanisms and gender testing requirements.
In March, Ithaca College in New York admitted to allowing a trans athlete to compete in a Division III rowing competition, citing a "misunderstanding" about what constituted an official NCAA event.
The NCAA told Fox News Digital the competition "will be considered a mixed team and not eligible to compete against women's teams" and appreciated "Ithaca's responsiveness."
However, the governing body did not indicate whether results would be voided or if Ithaca would face consequences.
Bock criticised the NCAA's approach, saying "their policy is toothless and ineffective and doesn't protect the rights of women."
Riley Gaines says she feared for her life after criticising trans swimmer Lia ThomasGETTYGaines leads a lawsuit against the NCAA alongside former University of Kentucky swimmer Kaitlynn Wheeler and former University of North Carolina swimmer Kylee Alons, who competed in the 2022 championships.
Wheeler supports criminal prosecution, telling Fox News Digital: "If schools, official states, whatever it is, are knowingly defying the law and violating Title IX especially by forcing girls to share locker rooms, change in front of boys, lose out on their opportunities, everything Title IX is supposed to stand for, I think there should be serious consequences."
Bock confirmed the lawsuit seeks monetary damages for affected female athletes. "These are significant damages and there were several hundred women were harmed and we think that a jury in Georgia is going to find that damage amount very significant," he said.
The plaintiffs have offered the NCAA an opportunity to resolve the matter and implement enforceable protections for women.
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