Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer representing the University of Pennsylvania, attracted attention this season by participating in the women’s team and finished last in the 100-yard freestyle final at the NCAA women’s swimming championships in Georgia on Saturday night.
Thomas’ success in women’s swimming has sparked ongoing debates about transgender women in sports. Despite this, former tennis icon Martina Navratilova feels that Thomas’ accomplishments should be marked with an asterisk.
In expressing her viewpoint, Martina Navratilova recommended that the NCAA consider annotating Thomas’ records with an asterisk. Nevertheless, she clarified that she does not oppose transgender women excelling in competitions.
Navratilova proposed that the NCAA create a distinct category for individuals who self-identify as women but may face challenges competing against cisgender women.
Earlier in the month, Thomas secured a landmark achievement by becoming the first openly transgender athlete to secure victory in an NCAA Division I national championship. She triumphed in the women’s 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24.
As the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris draw near in two years, Thomas is expected to participate in the qualifying rounds.
