Lia Thomas, the infamous transgender swimmer who won as many NCAA women's swimming titles in 2022, is banned from the 2024 Summer Olympics after losing a legal battle against swimming's international governing body.
Thomas tried file a legal case against World Aquatics at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in hopes of overturning the group's recent rules that place heavy restrictions on trans athletes. The rules effectively prevent someone like Thomas from competing internationally and also prevent her from being considered for a spot on the U.S. women's swim team, according to the guardian.
University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas accepts the winner's trophy in the 500 freestyle finals as runner-up Emma Weyant and third-place Erica Sullivan during the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 17, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia. . (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Thomas argued that the rules should be declared “invalid and illegal” because, he says, they violate the Olympic Games charter and the World Aquatics constitution.
The court disagreed with Thomas and ruled that he had no standing. The court said Thomas “simply does not have the right to participate with eligibility to compete in WA competitions” because he is not a current member of World Aquatics.
The rules were implemented after Thomas caused an upset to win the 2022 NCAA title and created new language to prevent men who “transitioned” after puberty from competing as transgender women. That requirement rules out Thomas and most trans athletes.
However, World Aquatics didn't get a chance to argue its rules about the scientific data it used to reach its ban because Thomas' case was thrown out because he didn't have standing to bring the case in the first place .
World Aquatics, however, maintains the scientific data shows that males who have reached puberty have natural advantages over the female body in swimming, with greater muscle structure, lung capacity and endurance, among other benefits.
University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas is interviewed after her victory in the 500 freestyle finals during the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 17, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Several other sports have also banned men who identify as women from competing as women. In September 2022, international rugby approved a rule to prevent athletes born male to compete as females. In December 2023, pro disc golf forbidden men to compete as women. British Cycling decided that too ban men to compete as women, a rule that came into force in May last year.
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