Transgender Swimmer Wins NCAA Championship, Legendary Athlete Suggests Category Change

University of Pennsylvania’s transgender athlete Lia Thomas predictably smashed the competition in the NCAA Women’s Swimming Championship, and 59-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova thinks she should have an “asterisk” next to her name.

Thomas, a biological male, who ranked #462 nationally while competing as a male swimmer for three years prior to transitioning, smoked top female competitors by 1.75 seconds in the 500-yard free event on Thursday to take the title.

“But right now, the rules are what they are. Maybe put an asterisk there, if she starts breaking records left and right,” Navratilova said about UPenn swimmer. 

Thomas’ participation in collegiate women’s swimming events has sparked controversy in the women’s athletic community, after she dominated the Ivy League season with record-breaking swims. 

“The very simple answer is that I’m not a man,” she said about why she did not continue to compete with the men’s team. “I’m a woman, so I belong on the women’s team. Trans people deserve that same respect every other athlete gets.” 

But according to Navratilova, 65, Thomas doesn’t belong in the women’s category, but should be allowed to swim competitively. 

“It’s not about excluding transgender women from winning ever,” the tennis legend explained. “But it is about not allowing them to win when they were not anywhere near winning as men.”

The NCAA recently updated their transgender athlete policy to defer to the sport’s governing body. USA Swimming released updated guidelines that require swimmers to maintain testosterone levels within a certain range for 36-months. Despite Thomas being months short, the rule change does not apply to the 2021-2022 season.

Navratilova has a clear-cut solution for protecting women’s sports. She suggested that the NCAA create “an open category” that would include biological men, transgendered men on testosterone, and transgender women taking estrogen, and a separate category for biological females to compete in exclusively.


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Marc
Marc
2 years ago

Why dont the real Women just stand by poolside and watch instead of letting this person humiliate them. If enough real women refused to participate this travesty would end. The people who make money off of these events would come to their senses when their profits disappear.

Jerry
Jerry
2 years ago

I pointed that out few times already. Too bad that you girls do not listen. My experience is from communist dictatorship, where any order is almost impossible to refuse. (Check Putin). If all, and I mean All ladies will just refuse to compete, simply leaving competition if anyone, biological males want to compete. All the girls across the states. They can punish one or two, but they are powerless to punish all of you. You see, you do not need the help, you are the ones holding the sword. It is ONLY up to you. Do not ask for help. You do not need any. Good Luck. I do guarantee the change in one, maybe couple of month.

Ray Sneed
Ray Sneed
2 years ago

I like Navratilova’s solution. Likewise, I agree, women should just refuse to compete if a biological male is going to be allowed to swim.