"Outrageous," "This is the way"- Fans react to Riley Gaines paying the prize money to Kim O'Brien who forfeited women's final against a male player

Fans react to Riley Gaines presenting prize money to pool player.
Fans react to Riley Gaines presenting prize money to pool player.

Riley Gaines recently handed over the prize money to a pool player for withdrawing from a faceoff against a transgender woman.

Gaines has been a vocal advocate for fair competition in women's sports, protesting the notion of trans athletes competing against women athletes and promising financial support to female athletes after refraining from playing against transgender athletes.

Kim O'Brien refrained from competing against Harriet Haynes, a transgender athlete, at a European pool tournament. Gaines praised O'Brien and announced that she would be paying the prize money that the pool player lost as a result of her withdrawal.

"Absolutely incredible. At the European Pool Championships, female player, Kim O'Brien, forfeited the women's final where she was set to play male player, Harriet Haynes. I am happily paying her the prize money she lost out on. Stop playing their game. More of this," Gaines wrote.

Agreeing with Gaines' views, fans backed her support for O'Brien as one of them wrote:

"Outrageous. Nice to see women taking a stand."

Another fan assented with Gaines and wrote:

"This is the way."
"That's right! Give these trophy thieves the most shameful non-victory ever! Refuse to compete," expressed other fan.

A fan conveyed his support by saying:

"This needs to happen every time a man tries to cheat against a woman."

A few fans praised Gaines for consistently advocating her stance and said,

Here are a few other reactions:


"I guess audio, video, & eyewitness evidence aren't admissible" - Riley Gaines expresses dissent after the hostage incident considered "unfounded"

Riley Gaines expresses resentment after the hostage incident was deemed "unfounded."
Riley Gaines expresses resentment after the hostage incident was deemed "unfounded."

Riley Gaines recently expressed her disappointment after the 2023 hostage incident at San Francisco State University, where she was invited to share her experience of competing against Lia Thomas, which was referred to as “alleged” and "unfounded."

The San Francisco State University's police department stopped the investigation into Gaines' hostage incident of April 6, 2023.

Gaines encountered a mob of dissenters following her speech. On February 2, 2024, she received an email from Detective Corporal Thalya Fernandez, referring to the case as "alleged" and "unfounded."

"Remember when I was assaulted & held for ransom through the night by a mob of violent protesters at SFSU? The police have finally informed me the case has been suspended as all charges are "alleged" & "unfounded" I guess audio, video, & eyewitness evidence aren't admissible in SF," Gaines wrote.

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