American transgender swimmer Lia Thomas has spoken for the first time since becoming a lightning rod for the debate on equality in sport.
The University of Pennsylvania student became the first transgender swimmer to earn a U.S. college degree earlier this year, winning the 500-yard (457 m) freestyle championship.
He turned down all media requests during the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) championships in March, but spoke to ESPN and ABC in the U.S. on Tuesday night (AEST), saying his transition was never for get an advantage.
Thomas swam the Penn men’s team for three seasons before joining the women’s competition after a year off due to the cancellation of all college sports in 2020 as a result of the pandemic of COVID-19.
“I think the biggest misconception is why I made the transition,” Thomas said. “People will say, ‘Oh, she just made the transition so that I would have an advantage so I could win.’ I made the transition to be happy, to be true to myself.”
Leading the charge against Thomas were World Athletics Federation President and Olympic double gold medalist Sebastian Coe and swimmer Emma McKeon, Australia’s most decorated Olympian.
American swimmer Lia Thomas says she did not make the transition to gain a competitive advantage. Credit: AP
Eleven-time Olympic medalist McKeon said competing against trans women was not “unfair,” while Coe was even more direct, and told The Guardian that the “integrity and future of women’s sports” were at stake, claims rejected by Thomas.
“Trans women competing in women’s sports don’t threaten the whole of women’s sport,” Thomas said. “Trans women are a very small minority of all athletes. NCAA rules on trans women competing in women’s sports more than 10 years ago. And we haven’t seen any massive wave of dominant trans women.