Fact Check: Riley Gaines Criticized Brittney Griner for Kneeling During National Anthem?

Claim:

Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines criticized WNBA basketball player Brittney Griner for kneeling during the national anthem.

Rating:

Labeled Satire ( About this rating? )

In mid-July 2024, social media users claimed former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines criticized WNBA star Brittney Griner for kneeling during the national anthem . For example, on July 16, the Facebook account NBA News ( archived ) posted the following message:

Riley Gaines laid into Brittney Griner for kneeling during the National Anthem."You don't have to sing or anything, but you need to show some respect for the country that saved you from a Russian Gulag."

(NBA News/Facebook)

Variations of the rumor appeared elsewhere on Facebook , with several accounts sharing the following unsubstantiated quote from an unidentified source: "Disrespecting the flag is akin to spitting on the graves of those who sacrificed their lives to protect it."

Some social media users interpreted the rumor as a factual recounting of real-life events. One person wrote: "To me KNEELING down is a more reverent act towards the flag!! Like when you enter a sacred place like a temple, a church or a mosque, you kneel to show your deep respect," to which another responded: " I don't understand why Americans are so offended when someone kneels because as a-whole kneeling is a sign of respect, honor, and reverence the Catholics do during their service every time they enter the church. I think a lot of people needs to get over themselves."

However, Snopes found no credible evidence supporting the claim Gaines criticized Griner for kneeling during the national anthem.

Rumor Originated on Satirical Facebook Page

The source of the rumor was a meme posted by the Facebook account America's Last Line Of Defense (ALLOD) on July 11. That page described its output as satirical in nature.

(America's Last Line of Defense/Facebook)

The badge in the bottom-right corner of the meme displayed ALLOD's name and a "Satire" label.

In the comments section, ALLOD linked to a similar satirical story published by the Dunning-Kruger Times website, where Gaines apparently " wasted no time laying into Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar on a recent taping of 'The View'." However, that story did not mention Griner.

A disclaimer on the Dunning-Kruger Times website stated:

Dunning-Kruger-Times.com is a subsidiary of the "America's Last Line of Defense" network of parody, satire, and tomfoolery, or as Snopes called it before they lost their war on satire: Junk News.

Snopes has addressed similar satirical claims about Griner in the past, including the rumor she received $62,000 in student loan forgiveness despite having a net worth of $140 million.

For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources that call their output humorous or satirical.

Sources:

Brittney Griner | Biography, Basketball, Russia, Trial, Sentence, Coming Home, & Facts | Britannica . 4 Aug. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Brittney-Griner. "Brittney Griner Honored to Be Wearing a USA Basketball Jersey Again after Time in Russian Prison." AP News , 22 July 2024, https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-womens-basketbll-brittney-griner-f1dad5521a13033d698bfc2809749d66. "Brittney Griner Says She Thought about Killing Herself during First Few Weeks in Russian Jail." AP News , 2 May 2024, https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-russia-interview-6bc27fe1deb933f11e33d50f5fffd63f. Brittney Griner Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and More | WNBA . https://www.wnba.com/player/brittney-griner. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. --- . https://www.wnba.com/player/brittney-griner. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. Colas, Lindsay Kagawa. "Why Brittney Griner Will Stand for the National Anthem." TIME , 19 May 2023, https://time.com/6281073/brittney-griner-national-anthem-stand/. "Did Brittney Griner Really Kneel During Olympics 2024? Exploring Viral Trend." PINKVILLA , 6 Aug. 2024, https://www.pinkvilla.com/sports/did-brittney-griner-really-kneel-during-olympics-2024-exploring-viral-trend-1336329. Dung, Nguyen. "Riley Gaines Laid into Brittney Griner for Kneeling during the National Anthem."You Don't Have to Sing or Anything, but You Need to Show Some Respect for the Country That Saved You from a Russian Gulag." (An)." News , 16 July 2024, https://homnaycogimoi.com/riley-gaines-laid-into-brittney-griner-for-kneeling-during-the-national-anthem-you-dont-have-to-sing-or-anything-but-you-need-to-show-some-respect-for-the-country-that-saved-you-fro/. Facebook . https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=455794067254303&id=100084711400336. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. --- . https://www.facebook.com/StrongCommunityUS/posts/riley-gaines-fiercely-criticized-brittney-griner-for-kneeling-during-the-nationa/463531963300578/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. --- . https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php/?story_fbid=122164192310222022&id=61556660675605. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. FEINBERG, DOUG. "Griner Is 'head over Heels' for the Americans Coming Home in a Prisoner Swap." Santa Rosa Press Democrat , 2 Aug. 2024, https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/sports/brittney-griner-is-head-over-heels-for-the-americans-coming-home-in-a-pri/. Gittins, William. "How Long Has Brittney Griner Played in Russia and How Much Was Her Salary at UMMC Ekaterinburg?" AS USA , 4 Aug. 2022, https://en.as.com/latest_news/how-long-has-brittney-griner-played-in-russia-and-how-much-was-her-salary-at-ummc-ekaterinburg-n/. Hill, Jemele. "Brittney Griner Has the Right to Change Her Mind." The Atlantic , 20 May 2023, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/05/brittney-griner-national-anthem/674126/. Log in or Sign up to View . https://www.facebook.com/login/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. --- . https://www.facebook.com/login/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. Metcalfe, Jeff. "Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner Will Not Be on Court for National Anthem This Season." The Arizona Republic , https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2020/07/27/mercurys-brittney-griner-will-not-be-on-court-for-national-anthem-this-season/5518399002/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. Paris 2024 Olympics - Latest News, Schedules & Results . https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. Patriot, Flagg Eagleton-. "Riley Gaines Mops the Floor with 'Ignorant' Whoopi and Joy on The View." Dunning-Kruger-Times.Com , 10 Aug. 2023, https://dunning-kruger-times.com/riley-gaines-mops-the-floor-with-ignorant-whoopi-and-joy-on-the-view/. Thompson, Scott. "Brittney Griner on Playing for Team USA after Kneeling during Anthem, Russian Imprisonment: 'Means Everything.'" Fox News , 22 July 2024, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/brittney-griner-who-previously-knelt-anthem-says-team-usa-means-everything-me-ahead-olympics. "USA Basketball Women's Olympic Team." USA Basketball , https://www.usab.com. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. "Why Are These WNBA Stars in Russia? It's Not Just about the Money." ESPN.Com , https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/espnw-russia160505/brittney-griner-diana-taurasi-opted-play-russia-money-escape-spotlight. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.