Controversial NCAA champion Lia Thomas is making headlines by challenging World Aquatics’ 2022 ban on transgender women who have undergone any part of the male puberty process, as reported by The Telegraph.
Thomas has enlisted the Canadian law firm Tyr, unrelated to the swimwear company, to present her case in front of Switzerland’s Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) since September of last year.
Her lawyer, Carlos Sayao, argues that the 2022 rules are discriminatory and have caused profound harm to trans women.
Sayao stated, “Lia has now been denied the opportunity to pursue her sport and compete at the highest level. She is bringing this case not only for herself but also for other trans women, with the goal of ensuring fair, appropriate, and science-based rules for their participation in sports that are grounded in human rights.” World Aquatics has urged CAS to dismiss the case, arguing that Thomas is not a member of USA Swimming.
A few months after winning the 2022 NCAA title in the 500-yard freestyle, Thomas expressed her desire to compete at the Olympics. However, the next month, World Aquatics (then FINA) voted to prohibit transgender women from competing in elite women’s categories, instead introducing a separate “open” category. Nevertheless, this category has seen little success as there are not many trans swimmers competing at the elite level, as reported by LGBTQ Nation.
Thomas began her transition in 2019, but World Aquatics referenced experts who stated that suppressing testosterone is not enough to reverse the biological advantages gained from male puberty.