Lia Thomas' NCAA title win is not being recognised by Florida governor Ron DeSantis. The 22-year-old made history as the first known transgender athlete to win a US college swimming championship when she took the title in Atlanta.
Her win has proved to be a controversial one as those who oppose transgender athletes participating in women’s sport are in uproar with the result. One of whom is DeSantis, who issued a proclamation that a resident of his state is the “rightful” holder of the NCAA 500m freestyle title.
Florida native Emma Weyant finished second to Thomas, and DeSantis claims she should be declared the winner. “It is my determination that men should not be competing against women such as Emma Weyant,” DeSantis wrote.
“Florida rejects the NCAA’s efforts to destroy women’s athletics, disapproves of the NCAA elevating ideology over biology, and takes offense at the NCAA trying to make others complicit in a lie.” According to USA swimming’s policy, an athlete must undergo three years of hormone replacement therapy before being allowed to compete.
However, Thomas is six months short of that mark, but the NCAA chose not to adhere to the policy put forth by USA Swimming, and allowed her to compete. Some of her fellow swimmers have offered their support as Erica Sullivan who finished the race in third place penned: “As a woman in sports, I can tell you that I know what the real threats to women’s sports are: sexual abuse and harassment, unequal pay and resources and a lack of women in leadership. Transgender girls and women are nowhere on this list.”
Many have had their say on the subject, as on Monday, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said transgender athletes pose a risk to the integrity of women’s sport. “Gender cannot trump biology. As a federation president, I do not have that luxury,” Coe told the Daily Telegraph.
“It is a luxury that other organisations not at the practical end of having to deal with these issues have. But as far as I am concerned, the scientific evidence, the peer-reviewed work we have done, those regulations are the right approach.”
Earlier this month, in response to the hostility she has received, Thomas told Sports Illustrated : “I’m not a man. I’m a woman, so I belong on the women’s team. Trans people deserve that same respect every other athlete gets.”
After Thursday’s victory, Thomas said: “I try to focus on my swimming, what I need to do to get ready for my races and just try to block out everything else.”
