Wednesday, July 2, 2025 - American transgender swimming champion, Lia Thomas will be stripped of University of Pennsylvania swimming titles after the Ivy League school agreed to demands from the Trump administration.
Following an investigation by the Department of Education’s
Office for Civil Rights, UPenn will also issue formal apologies to every
biological female competitor who lost out to a transgender athlete. The probe
concluded the university violated Title IX by “allowing a male to compete in
female athletic programs and occupy female-only intimate facilities.”
“Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure women’s sports are protected for future generations of female athletes.”
Under the agreement, the university must adopt “biology-based
definitions for ‘male’ and ‘female’ under Title IX” and publicly commit to no
longer allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports or use female-only
locker rooms.
The decision was welcomed by athletes who had competed
against transgender athletes.
“As a former UPenn swimmer who had to compete against and
share a locker room with a male athlete, I am deeply grateful to the Trump
administration for protecting women and girls and restoring our rightful
accolades,” said Paula Scanlan, a former Penn swimmer. “I’m also pleased my
alma mater has finally taken not just the lawful path, but the honorable one.”
Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer and
vocal advocate on the issue, added: “I hope today’s decision makes clear to
educational institutions they can no longer trample on women’s civil rights.
This should renew hope for every female athlete that their country’s leaders
won’t relent until they have the dignity, safety, and fairness they deserve.”
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