A post shared on Facebook claims swimmer and activist Riley Gaines secured a $50 million lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) for “unfair medal distribution.” 

Verdict: False 

There is no evidence such a settlement has been reached.

Fact Check: 

Swimmer Riley Gaines and many other athletes filed a lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for, in part, allowing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas to compete in a championship in 2022, according to AP News. Gaines ended up tying with Thomas in 2022 and since filing the lawsuit has gained a following on social media and hosts a podcast centered around issues in women’s sports, USA Today reported.

A Facebook post claims Gaines has secured a $50 million settlement from the lawsuit. It shows images of Thomas and Gaines in bathing suits above the text calling the alleged settlement “a victory against wokeness.”

The post’s caption reads, “Swimmer Riley Gaines scored a victory against the NCAA, securing a $50 million settlement for unfair distribution of medals, a major win for her and critics of sporting inequalities.”

The claim is baseless, however. Gaines made a post on X in March 2024 announcing that she and 15 other women are suing the NCAA on its transgender policy. She has not made any posts since then suggesting that the lawsuit has been settled. There are no credible news reports to suggest Gaines has reached a settlement with the NCAA. (RELATED: No, Riley Gaines Did Not Sue Whoopi Goldberg For $10 Million) 

The person who posted the claim linked an article in the comments to “NVT News.” This does not appear to be a legitimate news site, however, and its “about this site” section on the right side of the page says, “This may be a good place to introduce yourself and your site or include some credits.”

Check Your Fact reached out to the NCAA for comment.