Aimee Walker
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’ teammates have reportedly demanded she is banned from competing at the upcoming women’s NCAA championships.
The calls came in a letter sent to the University of Pennsylvania and the Ivy League athletic conference by the former Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Maker.
It was reportedly signed by 16 swimmers and stated: “Biologically, Lia holds an unfair advantage over [the] competition in the women’s category.
Find out more details about the letter sent by Thomas’ teammates below…
“If she were to be eligible to compete against us, she could now break Penn, Ivy, and NCAA Women’s swimming records; feats she could never have done as a male athlete.”
It then pointed to the fact she placed 462nd as a male swimmer and this rose to 1st when she competed as a female.
The group continued by saying they had been warned that they could be kicked off the team for speaking out against Thomas, before adding: “We support Lia’s mental health, and we ask Penn and the Ivy League to support ours as well.
“Sport is competitive by definition, and Lia’s wins, records, and honours should not come at our expense, the women who have worked their entire lives to earn a spot on the Penn Women’s Swimming Team.”
Caitlyn Jenner Says Trans Swimmer Lia Thomas Is ‘Not Good For Women’s Sports’
It’s been reported that the letter also urged the University of Pennsylvania and Ivy League not to challenge a recent change to swimming rules, which included a more detailed guide on testosterone levels that were acceptable for female competitors.
Although there was no specific mention of Thomas when the new regulations were announced, it’s alleged that the move was designed to make it harder for her to compete in top-level competitions.
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