Stephen A. Smith has entered the fray in the ongoing debate surrounding trans women in sports, siding with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines amid her public clash with Olympic icon Simone Biles.
The firestorm began when Gaines criticized a Minnesota softball league for disabling comments on a post about a state championship team that included a transgender player. In her response, Gaines controversially invoked disgraced doctor Larry Nassar, drawing widespread criticism, including a sharp rebuke from Biles. However, Smith made it clear that, while he didn’t support the Nassar comparison, Gaines’ broader point about fairness in women’s sports deserves attention.
“Outside of the Nassar comment, what Riley said should give us all pause,” Smith stated on The Stephen A. Smith Show
He pointed to the case of Lia Thomas, the transgender swimmer who went from being ranked 554th as a male to a top-10 performer in the women’s division. “That speaks for itself,” Smith added.
Stephen A. Smith: Fairness is Crucial
Stephen A. Smith emphasized that protecting the integrity of Title IX and ensuring fairness in women’s competition is critical. “It doesn’t appear to be fair,” he said bluntly, referencing concerns over athletes born male competing against biological females.
He also criticized the notion that discussions on fairness in sport are rooted in discrimination.
“Nobody’s trying to take away civil liberties,” Smith said. “We’re talking about competition.”
Smith used past hypotheticals, like fans once pitting Ronda Rousey against Floyd Mayweather, to illustrate the biological differences at play in elite competition.
“I don’t want to see a Clarissa Shields in a boxing ring against Terence Crawford,” he said.
His most surprising statement? A call for a new competitive category: a transgender-only division. “I hope a whole bunch of men transitioning to women come out of the woodwork,” he said, “so we can have men vs. men, women vs. women, and trans vs. trans. That’s fair.”
Smith concluded by defending Gaines’ right to express her opinion without facing personal attacks. “Just because she lost? She’s talking about an unfair advantage,” he said, aiming directly at Biles’ criticism.
While the debate over trans women in sports remains heated, Smith’s commentary brings the issue back to center court. Highlighting the growing divide between calls for inclusion and demands for competitive fairness.
Read More: Tennis Legend: Martina Navratilova Puts Politics Aside in Fight for Fairness in Women’s Sports
