A judge has issued a ruling on Riley Gaines’ lawsuit vs. the NCAA.
Gaines, a former women’s swimmer at the University of Kentucky, filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in 2024. The lawsuit alleged that the NCAA violated their Title IX rights by adopting and enforcing policies that allowed transgender athletes to compete in women’s events and use the women’s locker room. Gaines competed against former Penn swimmer Lia Thomas at the NCAA Championships.
The lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge. The federal judge concluded that the evidence in the case did not establish the NCAA as a recipient of federal financial assistance subject to Title IX.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Gaines and the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) are planning to appeal the case.
“This momentary setback will not deter me or other women athletes in the least,” Gaines said in a statement. “Rest assured, we will be appealing this decision. We are on the side of truth. I am confident Americans will rally to our side to fight the NCAA.”
Fox News had more details on the case.
“U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson of the Northern District of Georgia granted the NCAA’s motion for summary judgment on the lawsuit’s remaining Title IX claims. Johnson was nominated to the federal bench by former President Joe Biden in 2024,” Fox News wrote.
“Johnson found that the NCAA and the Defense Department maintained separate funding streams for the research. Both contributed money to Indiana University, but the department’s money went to the university and other research participants rather than to the NCAA, according to the order.
“The judge also rejected the athletes’ arguments that the NCAA indirectly received federal funding, controlled entities that received the money or became a federal-funding recipient through reimbursements for certain employee travel expenses.”
ICONS co-founder Kim Jones made it clear that she’s optimistic about an appeal.
“We will not give up our fight for women and girls’ rights in sports,” Jones said. “ICONS will support an appeal by Riley Gaines, Brooke Slusser, Kylee Alons, Reka Gyorgy, Kaitlynn Wheeler, Grace Countie, Ainsley Erzen, Lily Mullens and the many other young women who depended on the NCAA to protect their equal opportunities but were let down by the NCAA.”
The NCAA no longer uses the policy that is being challenged by the lawsuit. In 2025, following an executive order from President Trump, the NCAA changed its policies on transgender athletes.
