In what conservatives are calling a “real life South Park episode,” a women’s pool championship ended with two men competing in the finals.
The Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series Event 2 in the United Kingdom on April 6 ended with two men masquerading as women competing in the final showdown: “Harriet” Haynes and “Lucy” Smith.
Each of these men defeated four different female opponents to make it to the finals, and Haynes ultimately won the competition, defeating Smith 8-6.
The news prompted widespread mockery on social media, though many were also angry over the fact that yet another trophy has been taken away from women by mediocre men claiming to be “transgender.”
Former college swimmer Riley Gaines, who became an advocate for protecting women’s sports after losing a trophy to male swimmer William “Lia” Thomas, deemed the news a “real life South Park episode” in a post on X.
A real life South Park episode https://t.co/xOSNt945uJ
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 6, 2025
Neither of the men have publicly commented on the backlash from the pool competition, though Haynes previously claimed in a statement to The Independent that pool “isn’t a gender-affected sport” and falsely asserting that he had “no advantage” over his female opponents based on being a man.
“We’re not talking about boxing or golf—we’re talking about pool,” he said at the time.
Meanwhile, his claims are objectively false. According to The Daily Wire, “Some factors which critics say can affect a woman’s ability to compete against a man in pool include a man’s greater upper body strength, greater height, larger hand size, and longer reach. Professional level pool competitions are generally split between men and women.”
There was also another controversy during Sunday’s pool competition, as competitive pool player Lynne Pinches — who was observing the event as a spectator — was reportedly told to leave after Haynes’ partner complained about her being there and demanded that she be thrown out.
After a complaint by Harriet Haynes partner, I was told to leave the Ultimate Pool event yesterday. I was wearing my bodycam for my own protection. I removed it upon request after being told no filming in the rooms. To then be told by UP I wasn't allowed in with or without it.
— Lynne Pinches (@PinchesLynne) April 7, 2025
In 2023, Pinches famously dropped out of the Women’s Champion of Champions final competition against Haynes, leading to him winning the women’s tournament by default.
A female pool player reportedly refused to compete against a trans-identified male opponent at the Women’s Champions of Champions Final in Denbighshire, Wales, yesterday.
Lynne Pinches walked away from the table after being matched to play against Chris "Harriet" Haynes. pic.twitter.com/vLofQALosk
— REDUXX (@ReduxxMag) November 13, 2023
Afterwards, Pinches gave an interview with TalkTV about the unfair practice of allowing men to compete in women’s sports.
“Whenever you play a transgender player, even if you win, it doesn’t make any difference because, in your heart, you know it’s unfair,” she said at the time. “This is a category advantage. Being biologically male and playing against females gives you a clear category advantage.”
“Every time I play a transgender player, I think about it before, during and after the match, about how unfair it is and how this is a level I can’t reach,” Pinches added. “I watch some of the shots they play, and I think females don’t play these shots down the rails like this and they don’t clear up like this. They [trans women] have a longer reach and a lot of them are taller than us.”
“Women have been silenced because of fear of being transphobic,” she continued. “That is why people don’t speak out about this subject. It’s not a gender issue. This is a fairness issue.”
