Ban on transgender swimmer Lia Thomas upheld ahead of women’s Olympics trials 

An international panel has upheld a ban preventing transgender swimmer Lia Thomas from competing in elite women’s swimming events – notably including the U.S. Olympic swimming trials beginning Saturday.  

A three-member arbitration panel of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which resolves disputes in international sports, determined Thomas had no standing to challenge the policy created by the governing body for international water sports, World Aquatics.  

It further stated the various national federations don’t have the authority to alter the application of the world governing body’s rules, according to CNN.  

Thomas “is currently only entitled to compete in USA Swimming events that do not qualify as ‘Elite Events’” the decision says. 

The ruling comes months after Thomas legally challenged World Aquatics’ gender inclusion policy, which prohibits biological males from participating in the women’s division. The challenge was aimed at overturning the ban in time for Thomas to qualify in the women’s division for the upcoming Paris Olympics.  

“It’s been a goal of mine to swim at Olympic trials for a very long time and I’d love to see that through,” Thomas previously said in an interview with ABC News.  

Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who tied with Thomas in the 200-meter NCAA championship in 2022, took to social media to celebrate the ruling.  

“This is a victory for women and girls everywhere,” Gaines posted on X.  

In April, 16 female athletes filed a federal lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletics Association for allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports.  

While swimming for the University of Pennsylvania’s women’s team in 2022, Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title after winning the women’s 500-year freestyle.  

Soon after, World Aquatics updated its gender policy, effective in March 2023.  

Thomas is not listed on the preliminary entry list for the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, which begin this weekend in Indianapolis.