Former teammate demands apology from Lia Thomas for ‘making her strip with her 18 times a week’ after losing court battle to compete in the Olympics
The controversy surrounding transgender swimmer Lia Thomas returned to the spotlight this week after a former team manufacturer demanded an apology for forcing him to undress with her 18 times a week during training and university competitions.
The statement came shortly after Lia Thomas’s court defeat to ensure the right to compete in the women’s category of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld World Aquatics rules that prevent trans athletes who have passed male puberty from competing in elite female events.
“No one asked us if we were comfortable. We just told each other that it was like this and that we were ready. Today, with the decision of justice, we deserve the biological distinction that we deserve an apology for what we had to endure,” said the swimmer, who preferred to remain anonymous.
According to the University of Pennsylvania women’s team, in which Thomas participated, the locker room attendants had to share the locker room with the athlete without an appointment or proper preparation.
“It was something daily, constant. Monday through Saturday, twice a day. We were young and trying to focus on the sport, and that led to discomfort that no one wanted to hear.”
Lia Thomas made history by becoming the first trans woman to win an NCAA (US University League) championship, winning the 500 free yard race in 2022. Since then, she has become one of the most emblematic faces of the inclusion debate, gender identity, and sports capital.
The recent court decision has reignited tensions over the issue. While LGBTQIA+ rights groups condemned the decision as transphobic, others viewed the legal victory as a way to protect the integrity of women’s competitions.
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On social media, the topic once again divided opinions. Some users defended the former athlete’s courage in revealing her grievances, while others accused her of opportunism and intolerance.
The case of Lia Thomas remains a symbol of a complex global debate in which individual rights, science and the principles of sport still seek a fair balance.
