The controversy surrounding the transgender swimmer Lia Thomas returned to the spotlight this week, after a former teammaker public, demanding an apology for being “forced to undress with her 18 times a week” during training and university competitions.
The statement came shortly after Lia Thomas’ court defeat in her attempt to ensure the right to compete in the Women’s Category of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Arbitral Court of the Sport has maintained the rules of World Aquatics, which prevent trans athletes who have passed the male puberty from participating in female elite events.
“No one asked us if we were comfortable. We simply told us it was like this and ready. Today, with the decision of justice recognizing the biological difference, I believe we deserve an apology for what we were forced to endure,” said the swimmer, who preferred to remain anonymous.
According to her, members of the University of Pennsylvania women’s team, where Thomas competed, were required to share the locker room with the athlete without any appointment or proper preparation.
“It was something daily, constant. Monday to Saturday, twice a day. We were young, trying to focus on the sport, and that generated a discomfort that no one wanted to hear.”
Lia Thomas made history by becoming the first trans woman to win a NCAA (US University League) championship, winning the 500 free yard race in 2022. Since then, she has become one of the most emblematic faces of the inclusion debate, gender identity and sports equity.
The recent court decision rekindled the tensions on the subject. While groups of LGBTQia+ rights condemned the decision as a transphobic, others considered legal victory as a way to protect the integrity of women’s competitions.
So far, Lia Thomas has not spoken out about the new statements of the former team partner. The University of Pennsylvania also did not issue an official statement.
On social networks, the theme once again divided opinions. Some users defended the former athlete’s courage to expose the discomfort lived, while others accused her of opportunism and intolerance.
Lia Thomas’s case is still a symbol of a complex global discussion, where individual rights, science and the principles of sports still seek fair balance.
