Current:Home > InvestSwimmer Lia Thomas' case against World Aquatics transgender athlete rules dismissed -Edge Finance Strategies
Swimmer Lia Thomas' case against World Aquatics transgender athlete rules dismissed
Fastexy View
Date:2025-04-07 22:16:21
Lia Thomas' attempt to challenge World Aquatics' policy for transgender athletes has been dismissed. Thomas, a transgender woman, argued the ruling was discriminatory and took legal action against it earlier this year, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled this week she is not entitled to challenge the rules.
Thomas has not registered to compete in any World Aquatics events and is no longer a member of US Swimming, according to the ruling obtained by CBS News. Thomas, the court said, is "not sufficiently affected by the rules" and therefore cannot challenge them.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport, or CAS, says transgender women can compete in World Aquatic events under two conditions: they did not experience male puberty or their male puberty was suppressed before age 12, and their testosterone levels are consistently below 2.5nmol/L.
USA Swimming's policy states transgender women must have less than 5 nmol/L of testosterone consistently for 36 months before they can compete at elite levels. But the policy also states that to compete in international events, a transgender woman must meet World Aquatics criteria.
In 2022, World Aquatics voted to prevent trans women who have gone through any male puberty from competing in elite events, according to BBC News.
When Thomas filed her challenge to the ruling earlier this year, the court said she "accepts that fair competition is a legitimate sporting objective and that some regulation of transgender women in swimming is appropriate." But she argued that the provisions she was challenging were invalid and unlawful as they discriminate against her.
CBS News has reached out to World Aquatics, CAS and a attorney for Thomas and is awaiting response.
Thomas was a star on the University of Pennsylvania swim team, earning the best 200-meter freestyle time in the 2022 NCAA season and finishing nearly 40 seconds ahead of her closest competitor in one race.
Thomas previously swam on the men's team and followed NCAA and Ivy League rules when she began transitioning in 2019. Thomas said during a podcast interview that her coach, Mike Schnur, and team were "unbelievably supportive since the beginning." Both the university and the Ivy League also released statements supporting Thomas.
But her competing on the women's team was also met with criticism. While a group of her teammates penned a letter of support, 16 U Penn athletes wrote an anonymous letter to the NCAA saying she should not be allowed to swim on the women's team.
The issue sparked debate among other athletes and non-athletes. Eighteen-time tennis Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova wrote on social media that it's "not fair for women to race against transgender Lia Thomas."
Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner, who came out as a trans woman in 2015, said "we need to protect women's sports," when talking about Thomas.
Schuyler Bailar, who became first trans athlete to compete on a NCAA Division 1 men's team when he swam for Harvard, has supported Thomas, whom he once competed against. He said while she receives backlash, many of the messages Thomas receives are positive and sympathetic.
"The story is that trans women are going to destroy women's sports, and that's also just false," Bailar said. "People want to police the women's category. People care a lot about what they think constitutes womanhood, and a lot of people want to police exactly what womanhood looks like, and end up policing trans women as a result."
Caitlin O'KaneCaitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.
veryGood! (9242)
Related
- Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
- Why Anne Hathaway Says It’s “Lucky” Her Barbie Movie Didn’t Get Made
- The weather is getting cold. Global warming is still making weather weird.
- The real measure of these Dallas Cowboys ultimately will come away from Jerry World
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- Baseball's first cheater? The story of James 'Pud' Galvin and testicular fluid
- Thousands rally in Slovakia to condemn the new government’s plan to close top prosecutors’ office
- SantaCons have flocks of Santas flooding city streets nationwide: See the Christmas chaos
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits White House for joint appearance with Biden
Ranking
- Meta donates $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund
- Harvard president remains leader of Ivy League school following backlash on antisemitism testimony
- Fed rate hikes are over, economists say. Here's what experts say you should do with your money.
- These 22 UGG Styles Are on Sale for Less Than $100 and They Make Great Holiday Gifts
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- Bridgerton Season 3 Premiere Dates Finally Revealed
- FedEx issues safety warning to delivery drivers after rash of truck robberies, carjackings
- Biden takes a tougher stance on Israel’s ‘indiscriminate bombing’ of Gaza’
Recommendation
Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
MI6 chief thanks Russian state television for its ‘help’ in encouraging Russians to spy for the UK
Kat Dennings marries Andrew W.K., joined by pals Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song for ceremony
Titans vs. Dolphins Monday Night Football highlights: Tennessee rallies for shocking upset
Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
Inaugural Jazz Music Awards will be broadcast on PBS and PBS Passport with host Dee Dee Bridgewater
Ranked choice voting bill moves to hearing in front of Wisconsin Senate elections committee
Finland to reopen 2 out of 8 border crossings with Russia after a 2-week closure over migrant influx