(RightIsRight.co) – Marking a major step in protecting women’s sports, transgender swimmer Lia (formerly Will) Thomas lost his legal challenge against a rule that stops biological males from competing in female events.
The decision means Thomas cannot race in women’s events at the August Summer Olympics.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland stated that Thomas could not sue World Aquatics, an international swimming group, because he is not allowed to participate in elite events held by USA Swimming or World Aquatics.
The federation called the ruling a “major step forward in our efforts to protect women’s sport.”
“World Aquatics is dedicated to fostering an environment that promotes fairness, respect, and equal opportunities for athletes of all genders and we reaffirm this pledge,” the group said in a statement.
In 2022, Thomas won a national title in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s division while swimming for the University of Pennsylvania.
The lawsuit filed last year sought to remove the rule as unfair. The court also ruled against the challenge due to Thomas not being a member.
“The panel concludes that she lacks standing to challenge the policy and the operational requirements in the framework of the present proceeding,” the court said.
Moreover, World Aquatics does not control NCAA rules and made an “open” category in 2022 for transgender swimmers.
Other global organizations, like those governing Olympic sports like track and field and cycling, have also blocked biological males from women’s sports.
The International Cycling Union wrote last year, “Given the current state of scientific knowledge, it is also impossible to rule out the possibility that biomechanical factors such as the shape and arrangement of the bones in their limbs may constitute a lasting advantage for female transgender athletes.”
Copyright 2024, RightIsRight.co
