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Lia Thomas has been at the centre of the conversation regarding trans-women in sports ever since swimming for the University of Pennsylvania in the NCAA Division I.
The American swimmer spoke to Robert Sanchez of Sports Illustrated in March 2022 where she expressed her desire to continue swimming in the future:
"I don’t know exactly what the future of my swimming will look like after this year, but I would love to continue doing it. I want to swim and compete as who I am."
In the interview, Thomas also expressed her desire to swim in the 2024 Olympic Trials. USA Swimming told Sports Illustrated that they would have "no issue" with Thomas taking on the trials and representing her country at the Olympics as long as she meets the criteria. However, her chances of participation in the trials and the Olympics remain slim.
USA Swimming's criteria, as they stand, require testosterone levels to be below five nanomoles per liter for at least 36 months prior to competition. Under the now-abandoned mandate, the International Olympic Committee required trans-women to go through hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for at least a year before competing.
The committee then deferred the decision to FINA, who voted 71.5 percent in favor of a policy requiring trans-athletes to have transitioned before the age of 12, by June 2022, as per Associated Press. This directly reduces her chances of swimming at the Olympics as things stand.
In an interview with ABC, weeks before FINA announced their decision, Thomas restated her desire to compete in Paris:
"It’s been a goal of mine to swim at Olympic trials for a very long time and I would love to see that through."
It is unclear whether there will be another change in the rules governing the participation of trans-women at the trials and the Olympics before 2024 arrives.
Lia Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title
After swimming for the University of Pennsylvania men's team from 2017 to 2020, Lia began her transition. This enabled her to compete on the women's team from 2021 to 2022 when she graduated.
In March 2022, Lia created history as she became the first openly transgender athlete in any sport to win an NCAA Division I title by finishing first in the women's 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24.
The never-ending debate continues with rapid changes in rules and regulations in many of the sport's governing bodies. However, one thing remains unchanged: Lia's goal of swimming at the Olympics.
