ESPN host mocked for demanding 'fairness' in girls' sports: 'Is LeBron fair?'
Sunday NFL Countdown host Sam Ponder was accused of 'bigotry' for opposing biological males competing in women’s sports
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Multiple mainstream media journalists joined USA Today sports columnist Nancy Armour in trashing ESPN broadcaster Samantha Ponder for calling out biological men competing in women’s sports.
Reporters, like USA Today’s sports journo Lindsay Schnell, dogpiled on Ponder after she was accused of promoting "bigotry" for demanding fairness in women’s sports.
Schnell made a particularly wild argument, claiming that if trans women (biological males) have an unfair advantage over female athletes, then NBA star LeBron James has an unfair advantage over the professional male basketball players he competes against.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ESPN's Samantha Ponder was blasted by members of the media for speaking out against trans women competing in women's sports. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The drama began over the weekend when Armour’s column trashed the ESPN reporter for defending former college athlete Riley Gaines as well as her cause championing fairness in women’s sports.
Ponder tweeted Thursday about the support she has received for defending women’s sports from trans male competitors, writing, "I barely said anything publicly [about] this issue & I’ve had so many [people message] me, stop me in the street to say thank you+ tell me stories [about] girls who are afraid to speak up for fear of lost employment/being called hateful. It is not hateful to demand fairness in sports for girls."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In response, Armour grilled Ponder, claiming in her Sunday piece, "Don’t be fooled by the people who screech about ‘fairness’ to cloak their bigotry toward transgender girls and women, the transgender girls and women who have the audacity to want to play sports, in particular."
The columnist accused Ponder of spreading "hate, fear and ignorance" as well as "plain old bigotry."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Riley Gaines said she never called herself a feminist until taking up the battle of protecting fairness in women's sports after she tied against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at last year's NCAA championships. (Fox News Digital)
Armour’s hit on Ponder inspired other journalists to dunk on her as well, while sharing the column.
Schnell tweeted, "Every time I hear someone say trans women competing in sports isn’t "fair" I think of these wise words from @Layshiac: 'Is LeBron ‘fair’? It’s sports! Nothing is fair.’ (Which is to say — this is a really dumb argument.)"
Former NBC Sports editor Alex Azzi praised Armour’s takedown of Ponder, writing, "Great column by @nrarmour. Worth your time today," along with a quote from the article.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lakers forward LeBron James shoots against the Denver Nuggets during Western Conference Final series, May 22, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Fox News Digital reached out to ESPN to for comment on the backlash Ponder has received for her stance on the issue. The outlet declined to comment.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.