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Former University of Kentucky women’s swimmer Kaitlynn Wheeler fired back at unemployed media personality Keith Olbermann after Olbermann levied a personal insult against Wheeler on social media.
Olbermann responded on X to Wheeler’s post celebrating a woman’s rights rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday during oral arguments for two cases focused on the legality of biological male trans athletes in women’s sports. Wheeler and several other prominent activists including Riley Gaines, Brooke Slusser and Stephanie Turner spoke outside the court in support of the protection of women’s sports.
“It’s still about you trying to find an excuse for a lifetime wasted trying to succeed in sports without talent,” Olbermann wrote in response to Wheeler’s post.
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Keith Olbermann weighed in on Ronny Jackson’s update. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC NewsWire)
Wheeler was one of the women’s college swimmers who had to compete against and share a locker room with transgender former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships. Wheeler, who was Gaines’ teammate at the time, also earned All-SEC First Team honors and is an SEC champion in the 800m free relay.
Wheeler provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to Olbermann’s attack, suggesting the pundit is an “angry old man,” attempting to stay relevant.
“When women refuse to be silent, angry old men like Keith Olbermann lash out. That doesn’t bother me. It proves why this fight matters. We’re fighting for fairness. He’s fighting to stay relevant,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler also responded to Olbermann in multiple X posts, making light of his employment status, while boasting about her own athletic accomplishments.
Kaitlynn Wheeler speaks at the U.S. Supreme Court in support of protecting women’s sports. (Courtesy of Kaitlynn Wheeler)
“You got fired… repeatedly I might add Making a career out of trolling women online is an…interesting career pivot for a gross old man. Meanwhile, we’re out here actually making a difference for girls. We are not the same,” Wheeler wrote, later joking, “‘A lifetime wasted trying to succeed in sports without talent’ directed at an SEC Champion & multi-time All-American from a man FIRED from nearly EVERY network he’s touched lol… you would know a thing or two about a wasted life.”
Several prominent female athletes women’s sports activists defended Wheeler on social media against Olbermann.
Women’s tennis legend Martina Navratilova told Olbermann she was unfollowing him on X over the remark.
“Seriously? Kaitlynn is right but you make it into a nasty personal attack. Shame on you, Keith. With this kind of attack you’re no different from the other side….Unfollowing….” Navratilova wrote.
Wheeler’s teammate Gaines pointed out that Olbermann has no wife or children.
“A 70[-year-old] loner with no wife or children, spending his time obsessively targeting college-aged women online. What a miserable existence. I don’t envy you, but I do pray for you,” Gaines wrote.
Former Team USA women’s ultrarunner Carilyn Johson suggested Olbermann is “mentally ill.”
“I used to think Keith Olbermann was just a misogynist. Now I think he is a mentally ill misogynist. Saying something like this to a former SEC champion female athlete [Wheeler] is deranged,” Johnson wrote.
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(Left) Keith Olbermann, host of “Countdown,” during “Decision 2010” on Nov. 2, 2010. (Right) (Virginia Sherwood/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images;Courtesy of Kaitlynn Wheeler)
Kim Jones, the co-founder of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), wrote “You dig your own grave,” in response to Olbermann.
Former University of Arizona women’s swimmer Marshi Smith, the other co-founder of ICONS, wrote “Who is this crusty geezer?”
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