Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer who made headlines in 2022 by winning a women’s national championship while competing for the University of Pennsylvania, will not take advantage of the opportunity to compete in the women’s event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 25-year-old, who was born biologically male, lost a legal battle against World Aquatics, the world governing body of aquatics, which upheld a ban on her from competing in women’s events.
The case attracted a lot of media attention because Thomas challenged the ban, arguing that the ban was “invalid and illegal.” However, World Aquatics stood its ground, enforcing a rule introduced in the summer of 2022 that bars anyone who has gone through any stage of male puberty from competing in the women’s categories.
The decision was welcomed by the organization, which called it “an important step in our commitment to protecting women’s sport.” World Aquatics also reiterated its commitment to fostering an environment of fairness, respect and equal opportunities for athletes of all genders, as reported by The Guardian.
It should be noted that World Aquatics has not ruled out transgender athletes altogether: an “open” category dedicated to transgender swimmers was created, launched for the first time at last year’s World Cup in Berlin. However, this category did not receive any entries, remaining essentially unused.
Lia Thomas, who was considered an average athlete when she competed against men, is no longer a member of USA Swimming, the national governing body of swimming in the United States. That made the court’s decision against a policy change even more stark and final. The court emphasized that because Thomas is not eligible to compete in an “elite event” under USA Swimming rules, she is not eligible to compete in any competition governed by World Aquatics.
According to the court, the regulations and operational requirements for eligibility to compete in World Aquatics competitions are not applicable to Thomas’ current status. In other words, her current situation does not meet the conditions necessary to be considered eligible to compete in the women’s category.
In 2022, during Women’s History Month, Thomas had a major moment in the spotlight when ESPN and ABC celebrated her. In an interview with “Good Morning America,” she expressed her desire to compete in the 2024 Olympic trials. “It’s been a goal of mine for a long time to swim in the Olympic qualifiers, and I would love to make that happen,” she said.
However, as the Paris Olympics approach, it is clear that the current rules and the recent legal decision will prevent Thomas from competing in the women’s events. The U.S. Olympic trials will be held in Indianapolis starting June 15, for the first time in a football stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium.
The ruling represents a watershed moment for women’s sports, ending the controversy over how to balance the inclusion of transgender athletes with the protection of fair competition between biological women. World Aquatics has made it clear that it will uphold its rule to protect the women’s category, arguing that the decision is a step forward in ensuring equal opportunities for female athletes.
Despite the creation of the “open” category for transgender athletes, the lack of registrations demonstrates the difficulties of fully integrating these new categories into competitive circuits. This leaves open the discussion about the future of athletes like Lia Thomas, who remain excluded from women’s competitions without currently having a well-defined alternative competitive category.
In short, the Lia Thomas story highlights the complex balance between inclusivity and sports justice. As the sports world searches for ways to welcome all athletes, the need to safeguard the integrity of women’s competition continues to drive rigorous choices and regulations.
The court’s decision and World Aquatics’ upholding of the ban send a clear message: for now, biological women will be guaranteed their opportunity to compete in an environment that is considered fair and protected. Thomas, despite her Olympic dreams, will have to forgo competing in this year’s women’s Olympic trials.
The entire affair represents a turning point in contemporary sport, raising ethical, legal and social questions that will continue to be debated for years to come. Attention remains high as the world prepares for the Paris Olympics, where the current rules will be put into practice and watched by millions of spectators around the world.
