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An Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Thomas, is clapping back at collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines in the controversy over Caitlin Clark’s comments in Time Magazine.
“Girl are you fr??? You don’t have to share your opinion on everything, just sit this one out,” Thomas responded to a post by Gaines on X on December 14. Thomas is an American track and field star.
Gaines had written, “No one was asking for Caitlin Clark to position herself as a right-wing hero. All she needed to do was remain neutral. She’s a phenom who inspires countless young girls to play & achieve, so I still have great admiration for her, but she missed the mark on this one.”
The controversy ignited when Time Magazinenamed WNBA star Clark its 2024 Athlete of the Year. The article declared that Clark “is cognizant of the racial underpinnings of her stardom,” and quoted her as saying:
I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege. A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.
Thomas earned three gold medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Gabby Thomas Responded to Social Media Users, Saying Caitlin Clark Should Not Apologize for ‘Acknowledging the POC Who Came Before Her’
GettyCaitlin Clark.
A man responded to Thomas’s post, writing, “Caitlin Clark shouldn’t need to apologize for being white.” That led to another comment from Thomas, who wrote, “Agreed. 🤝 nor should she apologize for acknowledging the poc who came before her and played a significant role in building the league?” She was referring to people of color.
Another person wrote in the comment thread, “Honest question though Gabby in what other sport do we see athletes (especially the most popular one in the sport) CONTINUOUSLY having to ‘acknowledge’ those that came before them? It’s tiresome and doesn’t happen except to CC.”
That sparked another reply from Thomas, who wrote, “First of all she doesn’t ‘have’ to do anything. The same way she doesn’t ‘have’ to remain neutral. I didn’t say anything when she was neutral tbh, and I’m not going to criticize her now either 🤷🏽♀️ but to ignore race dynamics in sport is just….sigh.”
According to the Spun, Thomas attended an Indiana Fever game with Olympic legend Simone Biles and then posed with Clark for photos.
Riley Gaines & Jemele Hill Also Traded Words on Social Media
GettyJemele Hill speaks at 2019 ESSENCE Festival.
Other media personalities have also weighed in on the controversy. They include podcaster Megyn Kelly.
Kelly accused Clark of trying to have it “both ways.” She said that Clark has “lost thousands of fans maybe more as a result of this.”
Atlantic contributor Jemele Hill also clapped back at Gaines, writing on X, “Girl, you need to thank Lia Thomas every day of your life for helping you get famous, otherwise you would have been just a decent college swimmer that no one knew. You wrote the book on grifting — not me.”
Hill added, “I notice you didn’t post the original LA Times piece my comments appeared in that provided the entire context of my remarks. Instead, you posted an opinion piece that intentionally misrepresented what I said. In the same article I called her a generational talent and the female Steph Curry. If you struggle with reading AND comprehension, just say that.”
I didn’t ask for the platform I have. I’d have been just fine being a decent college swimmer, married to my best friend, and pursuing dentistry. Sounds like a dream to me.
I’ve faced threats and violent attacks for my stance. You’ve got to be clinically insane to desire that for yourself. I do what I do because it’s the right thing and at the time, few were.
So I’ll ask you directly, do you believe men belong in women’s sports?
Clark told Time, “I tell people I feel like the most controversial person. But I am not. It’s just because of all the storylines that surround me. I literally try to live and treat everybody in the same exact respectful, kind way. It just confuses me at times.”
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Olympic Gold Medalist Takes Swipe at Riley Gaines Over Caitlin Clark Comment