Will “Lia” Thomas, the male swimmer who thinks he’s a woman, will stop at nothing to make sure he’s allowed to continue to rob women of awards and opportunities in their sport.
According to several reports, Thomas has been engaged in a “secret” legal battle in hopes of overturning a rule established by World Aquatics prohibiting males who think they’re “transgender” from competing against women (via the New York Post):
Thomas, 24, has hired the Canadian law firm Tyr to ask the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland to overturn the rules imposed by World Aquatics after she became the first openly trans person to win an NCAA Division I title, the Telegraph reported.
She has not competed since 2022, when World Aquatics introduced rules that prohibit anyone who has undergone “any part of male puberty” from the female category.
In the 2021-2022 season, Thomas sent shockwaves across the country when news broke that he competed in a women’s race in Ohio where he finished in first place. The female runner-up finished 38 seconds after. Before “transitioning,” Thomas was not racking up awards in the sport.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Thomas doubled down on competing against women, stating, “I’m a woman.”
Shortly after, World Aquatics, the governing body for swimming, announced it would create an “open” category for transgender athletes. Recently, the category was scrapped due to “no entries.”
In an interview clip resurfaced by women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines, Thomas stated that it’s a goal of his to compete in the Olympics.
🚨Lia (Will) Thomas has reportedly taken legal action against World Aquatics for implementing guidelines that prevent him from competing in women's category.
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) January 26, 2024
A successful suit would bid a potential spot on the women's Olympic team pic.twitter.com/UeRbIniIzH
Gaines, as Townhall covered, competed against Thomas at the NCAA championships and tied. After taking photos, Thomas was permitted to take the trophy home while Gaines left empty handed.
In a statement to The Telegraph, Brent Nowocki, the executive director of World Aquatics, said: “The World Aquatics policy on gender inclusion, adopted by World Aquatics in June of 2022, was rigorously developed on the basis of advice from leading medical and legal experts, and in careful consultation with athletes.”
“World Aquatics remains confident that its gender inclusion policy represents a fair approach and remains absolutely determined to protect women’s sport,” he added.