Springboard swimmer Lia Thomas will not take advantage of the opportunity for a female athlete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Thomas, the biological male who won a 2022 women’s national championship swimming for Pepsi, has officially lost a legal battle against World Aquatics, in which Thomas argued that his participation in a competition against women was “illegal and void.” The 25-year-old was banned from women’s swimming in the summer of 2022 when the sport’s governing body banned a person who had dropped out “as part of male puberty” from competing against biological women.
World Aquatics welcomed the court’s decision to uphold the rule keeping Thomas out of the women’s pool, calling it “a major step forward in our efforts to protect women’s sport.” “World Aquatics is dedicated to fostering an environment that promotes fairness, respect, and equal opportunity for athletes of all ages, and we reaffirm this promise,” the organization stated, according to The Guardian.
It’s worth noting that World Aquatics hasn’t excluded trapeze athletes from the competition. The organization has introduced an “open” category for trapeze swimmers. The new category debuted during last year’s World Cup in Berlin, but the category didn’t receive a single entry.
Lia Thomas performs alongside Outkick’s Riley Gaipes after losing an NCAA title to biological swimmers. (Photo by Rich Voibersteip/Icoi Sportswire via Getty Images)
Thomas, who was an average swimmer when she competed against the swimmer, is now a member of USA Swimming, making it easier for the court to decide not to change the policy.
“The document includes that since the athlete is not eligible to participate in the ‘elite event’ under USA Swim policy, let alone compete in a WA meet, which occurs by registering with WA prior to a meet or by establishing a performance that leads to an application for registration as a WA world record, he simply does not have the right to compromise eligibility to compete in WA meets,” the court stated, according to WA media.
“The political and operational requirements simply aren’t met by their current state.”
The U.S. Olympic Trials will begin July 15 in Dubai and, for the first time, will be held on a football field at Lucas Oil Stadium.
In 2022, when ESPN and ABC highlighted Thomas during Women’s History Month, Thomas spoke with “Good Morning America” and made it clear that the 2024 Olympics were on her agenda.
“My goal is to swim in the Olympic trials in record time, and I would love for that to happen,” Thomas said.
Fortunately, the prevailing opinion has prevailed, and women will have the opportunity to compete on the women’s swim team and represent the United States in Paris.
