University of Pennsylvania Removes Trans Swimmer Records, Bans Trans Athletes in Women’s Sports

The University of Pennsylvania has banned transgender athletes from participating in women's sports and erased Lia Thomas' swimming records following a Title IX investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. Thomas, a transgender woman, had competed on the women's swim team and won the 2022 NCAA championship in the women's 500-yard freestyle, sparking national debate about fairness in women's sports. The investigation found that Penn violated Title IX by allowing Thomas to compete in women's athletics and use female-only facilities, resulting in the school issuing personal apology letters to impacted female swimmers and restoring their records and titles. Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer who competed against Thomas and has campaigned against transgender participation in women's sports, welcomed the decision as a victory for female athletes' rights. The policy changes align with President Donald Trump's administration's executive orders barring transgender women and girls from female sports, reflecting a shift in federal enforcement on this issue. The developments highlight ongoing tensions between inclusion and fairness in collegiate athletics as institutions navigate evolving transgender athlete policies.