(LifeSiteNews) — A federal judge has dismissed Riley Gaines’ lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), leaving the door open for the organization to force as many men onto women’s teams and into women’s locker rooms as they wish.
“The NCAA has been fighting Riley Gaines and dozens of other female athletes in court, defending allowing men to steal women’s titles, records and scholarships in women’s sports,” declared a searing X post by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), which has funded the lawsuit.
Breaking: Federal judge rules the NCAA can force men onto women’s teams and into women’s locker rooms—not beholden to Title IX.
The NCAA has been fighting @Riley_Gaines_ and dozens of other female athletes in court, defending allowing men to steal women’s titles, records and… pic.twitter.com/0I1i4bEQVR
— ICONS (@icons_women) September 29, 2026
Biden-appointed U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson accepted the NCAA’s argument that the NCAA is not subject to Title IX and dismissed the case Gaines v. NCAA, brought by women college athletes seeking to hold the NCAA responsible for granting men access to women’s sports and private locker rooms.
The lawsuit was first filed in March 2024.
“This decision removes all protections for women in NCAA collegiate competition across the country and underscores the vulnerability of women’s sports until court victories are secured,” noted a statement ICONS.
“This momentary setback will not deter me or other women athletes in the least. 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. Working together we will defeat the NCAA’s continuing efforts to trample women’s rights in sports,” said Riley Gaines, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
“Ultimately, this is something that I think myself and the dozens of other plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit would like to see before the Supreme Court,” Gaines said in an Outkick interview. “That way it can be established, the law of the land once and for all, when it comes to female athletes and how large institutions like the NCAA are able to harm us with, at this point, little to zero accountability.”
“The NCAA thinks it can use its vast financial resources to avoid responsibility to protect women’s opportunities in college sports. We won’t let the NCAA get away with it. The NCAA’s refusal to recognize its responsibility to uphold women’s rights means the NCAA cannot be trusted to regulate anyone’s sports—men’s or women’s,” said ICONS Co-Founder Marshi Smith, a former NCAA champion swimmer.
“We believe the district judge erred and that the Court of Appeals will find that the NCAA, which is the controlling body of college sports for more than 1,100 member schools, almost all of which are federally funded, is subject to Title IX. We will not give up our fight for women and girls’ rights in sports,” said ICONS Co-Founder Kim Jones, a former NCAA All-American tennis player.
Gaines, along with the other plaintiffs, now have 30 days to file a notice of appeal, which would be the first step in appealing Judge Johnson’s ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.