Lia Thomas Loses Legal Battle, Will Not Compete in Paris Olympics
The debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports has sparked intense discussion worldwide—and swimmer Lia Thomas has been at the center of it.
Thomas, who transitioned after being assigned male at birth, made headlines in 2022 by becoming the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA women’s swimming championship. Her participation in women’s sports has since become a focal point in the broader conversation around fairness and inclusion in athletics.
Hoping to compete in the upcoming Paris Olympics, Thomas challenged World Aquatics’ eligibility rules. However, her legal efforts to overturn the international governing body’s restrictions have failed. The court upheld the current policy, effectively ruling out her participation in Olympic competition.
The decision has reignited public debate, with advocates on both sides continuing to voice strong opinions on what fairness in sport should look like.
Lia Thomas, the 25-year-old swimmer who made headlines in 2022 for becoming the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA women’s swimming title, will not be competing in the women’s category at the Olympics—or any elite international events—following a recent legal ruling.
World Aquatics, the global governing body for swimming, enforces a policy that bars athletes who have undergone “any part of male puberty” from competing in the women’s category. This rule, which was upheld by the courts, prevented Thomas from participating in women’s events during the 2022 summer season.
In response to the ruling, World Aquatics released a statement calling it “a major step forward in our efforts to protect women’s sports,” while emphasizing their commitment to equity and inclusion:
“World Aquatics is dedicated to fostering an environment that promotes equity, respect, and equal opportunities for athletes of all genders, and we reaffirm this commitment.”
Importantly, the organization is not banning transgender athletes outright. Instead, they created a new “open category” specifically intended for transgender and non-binary athletes to compete. The category was set to debut at the World Cup in Berlin, but no athletes registered to participate.
Before transitioning, Thomas competed in men’s swimming and had an unremarkable record. Since leaving USA Swimming, her eligibility has been further complicated, and the court’s decision to uphold World Aquatics’ policy effectively ends her path toward Olympic competition under current rules
Court Ruling Ends Lia Thomas’s Olympic Hopes—At Least for Now
In its final decision, the arbitration panel made it clear: Lia Thomas is not eligible to compete in elite-level events sanctioned by World Aquatics (WA).
“The panel concludes that since the athlete is not eligible to participate in an ‘Elite Event’ within the meaning of USA Swimming Policy—let alone compete in a WA meet—she is simply not entitled to participate with the eligibility to compete in WA meets,” the ruling stated.
“The policy and operational requirements simply don’t apply to her current status.”
This ruling effectively blocks Thomas from competing in any international competitions overseen by WA, including the Olympic Games.
The U.S. Olympic Trials are set to begin on June 15 in Indianapolis, at the Lucas Oil Stadium—a football venue transformed for the historic event. But Thomas won’t be in the lineup.
In a past interview, she shared her aspirations:
“Swimming in the Olympic trials has been a long-standing goal of mine, and I would love to achieve it.”
For now, though, that goal appears out of reach.