Is Lia Thomas’ College Swimming Career Over?

USA Swimming issues a new policy establishing eligibility requirements for elite transgender athletes. This rule change comes following Lia Thomas's controversial participation on the UPenn women's swim team as a trans female. She has received an abundance of support and criticism, but her future at the college level hangs in the balance. The NCAA and USA Swimming have announced new policies for transgender athletes, affecting Thomas' eligibility this season.

USA Swimming Policy

According to USA Swimming, to decide a transgender swimmer's eligibility at the elite level, three independent medical experts will determine whether an individual's prior physical development as a man gives the athlete a competitive advantage over cisgender competitors. This policy pertains to athletes in the 13-14 age group and older and anyone who wishes to set American records. The swimmer will also be required to prove her testosterone concentration in her blood has been less than five nanomoles per liter for at least 36 months.

In a statement regarding the policy announcement, USA Swimming shared, "the development of the elite policy acknowledges the competitive difference in the male and female categories and the disadvantages this presents in elite head-to-head competition." The organization cited statistical data and compared top-ranked female times, on average, in 2021 to male times. The new guidelines rely "on science and medical evidence-based methods to provide a level-playing field for cisgender women, and to mitigate the advantages associated with male puberty and physiology," according to the organization.

Implications

Under previous NCAA policy, Lia Thomas was permitted to compete for her school's women's swim team after one year of testosterone suppression treatment. However, she may no longer be eligible. Last month the NCAA established a new sport-by-sport policy in which each sport's national governing body will determine transgender athletes' participation. Therefore, in the case of swimming, all transgender swimmers must follow USA Swimming's new guidelines at the collegiate level.

If a sport's national governing body has no policy, the NCAA will follow the relevant international federation policy. If that is non-existent, the body will follow the International Olympic Committee's regulations. The NCAA was highly criticized for its "we don't want to make any decisions" mentality and abdicating its leadership.

What does this mean for Thomas? That is still unclear. USA Swimming's policy has taken effect immediately; therefore, her participation in the 2022 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship is up in the air.

Mixed Support from Teammates

Members of the UPenn swim and dive team issued a statement expressing their "full support for Lia in her transition." They reiterated they "value her as a person, teammate, and friend." This came after sixteen members of the UPenn swim team sent an anonymous letter to the university and Ivy League.

In the letter, they opposed Lia's participation in the competition and requested the school not take legal action against the NCAA's new policy, leaving the decision up to USA Swimming. The unnamed women had their letter written and sent on behalf of Nancy Hogshead-Makar, the CEO of Champion women and Olympic medalist. They affirmed their full support for Thomas's gender identity and decision to transition from a man to a woman "to live her life authentically."

"However, we also recognize that when it comes to sports competition, that the biology of sex is a separate issue from someone's gender identity," they added. The UPenn student-athletes shared their belief that Thomas holds an unfair advantage in the women's category, pointing out that she went from being ranked "#464 as a male to #1 as a female."

Thomas' presence in and out of the water has made her the "poster child" for transgender athletes. The inclusion of transwomen in sports is a controversial topic that brings strong arguments from all sides, but governing bodies such as the NCAA and International Olympic Committee will have to be the ones making these hard decisions.

~Read more from Keelin Ferris.