Entertainment
ESPN Host Sam Ponder Axed After Voicing Concerns Over Biological Males in Women’s Sports
Clear Facts
- Sam Ponder, ESPN host, has been removed from the network following her public remarks concerning biological males competing in women’s sports.
- ESPN attributed the dismissal of Ponder and fellow host Robert Griffin III to “financial reasons”, a decision that generated significant debate and anger on social media.
- Comparisons have been made between Ponder’s dismissal and the firing of another former ESPN host, Sage Steele, who was also dismissed after expressing conservative views.
Sam Ponder’s time as an ESPN host has come to an unexpected end after she voiced concerns about biological males participating in women’s sports. The network, which is a division of The Walt Disney Company, cited “financial reasons” as the rationale for terminating both Ponder and Robert Griffin III.
The news of Ponder’s sudden dismissal ignited a wave of outrage online. A substantial number of commentators highlighted that Ponder stood as the lone female voice on the network addressing the contentious gender issue in sports.
The case of former ESPN host Sage Steele, who faced a similar outcome, was mentioned as further evidence of what some allege as suppression of conservative viewpoints. Online commentator Riley Gaines noted, “So Ponder gets fired, the only woman at the network who openly stated that men don’t belong in women’s sports. Three weeks before football season? She is one of the most genuine women I’ve ever met, just like Steele who had a similar fate….not a coincidence.”
Gaines, herself a Division 1 swimmer, missed out on an NCAA award at the championship tournament due to a tie with a trans-identifying male swimmer, Lia Thomas.
Recently, Ponder praised Italian fighter Angela Carini for refusing to engage with the media after her challenging Olympic match against Algerian fighter Imane Khelif, who had previously failed a gender test. Carini ended the fight after 46 seconds. Ponder stated, “ENOUGH is what all of us should be saying!! Proud of this woman.”
She has continually stressed the importance of biological facts and fairness in sports. Online, she stated, “Biology is not bigotry. Loving people does not require the absence of boundaries.”
She also seemed to foresee her own dismissal, stating, “I barely said anything publicly about this issue, yet I’ve had so many people message me, stop me on the street to thank me and tell me stories about girls who are afraid to speak up for fear of losing their jobs or being labeled as hateful. It is not hateful to demand fairness in sports for girls.”
Aside from her views on gender fairness in sports, Ponder has also expressed other conservative points of view. For instance, she defended Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker for his recent commencement address at Benedictine College. She also expressed support for former President Donald Trump following a failed assassination attempt.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Kenneth Fults
August 16, 2024 at 6:49 pm
She was right to comment and her comments were right.
Kathie
August 18, 2024 at 3:27 pm
I agree with what said and I’m glad she said it!
Deborah
August 20, 2024 at 6:52 pm
Thank you Sam Ponder.
Grateful for her courage. She would be the first to agree it’s pathetic that it takes courage to share a reasonable opinion on ESPN. For a Sports network to care more about being woke than about sportsmanship — greatly disheartening.
Please let’s all continue to share our perspective and expect others to share theirs respectfully.
J. R. Voigtsberger
August 20, 2024 at 6:56 pm
It’s a bloody shame. Women have had to fight for their right to be treated as something other than another male appendage for decades (centuries?). And now, when they have finally carved out a niche for themselves, some pansy-assed men, who can’t cut it as men, decide to invade their space. “OK, I’m not very good as a man, so I’ll go compete against the girls.” At least Bruce Jenner competed successfully as a male before he decided to “turn the other cheek,” as it were. But there is nothing new in this. There was a nursery rhyme I learned as a kid: “Georgie Porgy, puddin’ ‘n pie. Kissed the girls and made them cry. When the boys came out to play, Georgie Porgy ran away.” I really hope women Riley Gaines, Sam Ponder and Caitlin Clarke stay tough and continue as role models for girls everywhere.
Arnold Layne
August 20, 2024 at 6:57 pm
She is ABSOLUTELY correct! How do we stop this crap?
Eugene Hinderer
August 20, 2024 at 6:59 pm
Yes she is right & it is ridiculous what our country has come to. It is boys & girls not boys & girls & confused.If the left had in morals they’d know God made Adam & Eve not Adam & Steve
Daniel Quigley
August 20, 2024 at 7:14 pm
ESPN should be forced off the Air because they are no longer a sports network. They have become yet another arm of the Obama/ Biden Unjustice Department. Obama was the 1st one to climb down the rabbit hole in his attempts to Dis Credit and Destroy Title IX. If you are born with a Penis even cutting it off after reaching puberty won’t change the fact you will be stronger, have way more muscle mass and you will never have a child. If men even men missing their penis have no business playing against Naturally Born Females who unlike the Fake Male Female can have children. The time is well put that we stop pandering to this Mental Illness and men playing dress-up just so they can win a few races. GOD doesn’t make mistakes so quit trying to change his plan.
Peter Storti
August 20, 2024 at 7:36 pm
Women’s sports was created to provide a safe and level playing field for fair competition. This is based on biology not identity. Equal rights for women is based on the biology of women not a gender identity. The rule of law has been co-opt by the Biden regime who has perverted our country and what it stands for. I’ll buy that homosexuality is an in born trait and not a choice and therefore should be protected under the law but that does not change your biological sex. Transgenderism is a choice and not a trait, it can change between breakfast and lunch. It is being used instead of class to create division in our society as part of a communist attack on America. The many people that have been taken advantage of by the trans movement should have our sympathy and support but that does not mean they can change their biology. Protection for women is based on biology and therefore entirely separate from the trans question. Men of any kind need to compete against men, use the men’s lockers and not take advantage of half of the American population. Medical quacks that are abusing our youth and sterilizing many need to be brought to justice. The rest of us need to wake up and speak out.
Momofthreegirls
August 20, 2024 at 7:53 pm
I am so disgusted with the “woke” people’s agenda that is so wrong wrong wrong.
Walt Harding
August 20, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Perhaps it’s time to tune out ESPN.
Pauline Ivy
August 20, 2024 at 10:58 pm
It’s pretty simple to combat this. Just don’t patronize Disney and their underlings in any way. Can we do that? if not, we don’t deserve any better that we get.
Cappy
August 20, 2024 at 8:38 pm
If you speak up for what is right, they’ll get rid of you.
Spencer
August 21, 2024 at 12:45 am
One word comes to mind. LAWSUIT
Stanley B
August 21, 2024 at 2:52 am
FESPN!!
Robert Cymraeg
August 21, 2024 at 3:37 am
Walt Disney is no doubt turning over in his grave like a windmill. Disney has and is still proving it is no longer a family friendly happy place. Boycott all Disney and associated companies So sorry this brave broadcaster lost her job so unfairly.
Michael Marchese
August 21, 2024 at 11:02 am
Totally agree. She needs to sue and stay strong.
Dennis Richards
August 21, 2024 at 6:32 pm
What happened to freedom of speech? What happens when you have an opinion that someone doesn’t like? Why have we let these screwed up people dictate employment?
Psychiatrist used to say that people were Mentally ill who did sex changes. If you think you are a woman yet born a man has no place in sports or the ladies bathroom.
What Sam did was to speak about something wrong!
Accepting what’s happening now in America sports should not be condoned At all.
she lost her job