**Lia Thomas Loses Titles Amid New Transgender Athlete Policies**
Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, is once again making headlines as new rulings have resulted in her being stripped of her previous titles.
As the current administration intensifies its restrictions on transgender athletes, Thomas has been directly affected. A U.S. university has officially removed her titles, aligning with President Donald Trump’s policies, which ban transgender women from competing in women’s sports—a stance now supported by the U.S. Department of Education.
Some cisgender female athletes have pushed back against these policies, especially in sports like fencing and disc golf, where they argue physical differences offer no significant advantage.
Following a federal review, Thomas, 26, has been banned from competing at the University of Pennsylvania. The university has apologized to former athletes who competed against her and retroactively reassigned titles to those who placed behind her. Their website has been updated to reflect these changes, while still noting: “Competing under eligibility rules in effect at the time, Lia Thomas set program records in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle during the 2021–22 season.”
University President J. Larry Jameson acknowledged that although UPenn followed NCAA guidelines at the time, the school recognizes that some athletes may have been placed at a disadvantage or felt distressed by those rules. Personal letters were reportedly sent to affected athletes, clarifying that the university was responding to updated NCAA and federal mandates brought in after Trump began his second term.
In February, the NCAA changed its policy, now allowing only individuals assigned female at birth to compete in women’s sports. Jameson reaffirmed the university’s commitment to inclusion but noted that they must also comply with federal directives to keep their sports programs eligible.
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon called UPenn’s actions a “victory for women and girls,” stating that the Department would continue to enforce Title IX and ensure its proper interpretation is upheld.
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