Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas Loses Bid to Compete in Elite Women’s Races

Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas faced a setback in her quest to compete in elite women’s races as her legal challenge against World Aquatics’ guidelines was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, meaning she will not be able to participate in the upcoming Olympics.

Lia Thomas, who transitioned and began hormone replacement therapy in 2019 after swimming for the Pennsylvanian men’s team, sought to overturn World Aquatics’ ban on transgender women who have undergone male puberty from competing against women. The ruling dismissed her claims of the rules being invalid, unlawful, and discriminatory, marking a significant decision in the realm of sports and gender inclusivity.

In an earlier contest, Lia Thomas emerged victorious in a US national college swimming competition in 2022; however, her win was not officially recognized by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who controversially proclaimed runner-up Emma Weyant as the rightful winner. DeSantis criticized the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for permitting Thomas to compete and questioned the fairness of her participation.

World Aquatics contended that Lia Thomas did not meet the criteria to challenge their policy as she was not a member of the USA Swimming federation when the legal proceedings commenced. Additionally, she had not partaken in female events to qualify or get selected for World Aquatics competitions, undermining her grounds for contesting the rules.

Responding to the CAS ruling, Athlete Ally founder Hudson Taylor expressed disappointment, stating, ‘It is a sad day for sports and for anyone who believes that trans athletes should have the opportunity for their experiences of discrimination to be heard and adjudicated like everyone else.’ World Aquatics, on the other hand, welcomed the CAS decision, viewing it as a crucial step forward in safeguarding the integrity of women’s sports.