Former UPenn swimmers sue schools, NCAA over trans athlete Lia Thomas



Cnn
B (b (b (

On Tuesday, three former athletes of the University of Pennsylvania Women Swimming Program tried to be tried to the school, the Ivi League Council of Preigns and Athletics Organizations on Tuesday, claiming that they violated federal law so that Transgender Athletes Lia Thomas should be allowed to compete against them.

This has emerged between legalism efforts, which have tried to prevent transgender women from competing in women’s sports, including legal measures in all three branches of the federal government, such as President Donald Trump. Signed an executive order.

A complaint filed by Grace Estabrok, Alan Holmquest and Margat Kozorosky has focused on the 2022 IV League Women Championship, where Thomas won four medals of the first position and set several records and demanded that his record be vacated. Û”

“The Ivy League alleged that” the Ivy League engaged in a season long pressure campaign to counter Thomas and prevent women from speaking for their equal rights. ”

In addition to the Apunin and the Ivy League, the name of the NCAA and Harvard University in the legalism, which hosted the 2022 League Championship event, which was accused of violating the title IX, in which educational programs And activities prohibit sexual discrimination that federal funding. Thomas is not a defendant in the suit.

The plaintiffs have been represented by former NCAA’s former Member of Attorney Billbuk, who filed a lawsuit last year by other collagate swimmers in connection with Thomas’s participation in the 2022 NCA Championship. It was

“This case exposes the scenes behind the scenes that Harvard University, Apunn, Ivy League and NCAA, on the scene of American college sports, Book said in a statement to CNN. Attempted to enforce a radical gender ideology. ”

“College Sports is an important step for women’s sports in the United States, and when the NCAA does not comment on pending legalism, the association and its members will continue to promote the title IX, women Will make unprecedented investment in sports and ensure a fair competition in all NCAA Championship.

“We do not comment on active legalism,” said a Harvard spokesman. On Thursday, CNN did not immediately respond to requests from other defendants to comment. No hearing has been finalized in this case.

The plaintiffs say they were discouraged from disagreeing with the university’s position to adjust Thomas, who had previously participated in the open men’s swimming team, including Thomas’s presence in the women’s locker rooms.

A swimming coach allegedly told Kakorosky that Thomas would not use the same locker room when Thomas joined the women’s team, but it turned into the fall of 2021. Legal fodder

The complaint states that “Harvard did not provide a unicic bathroom or separate bathroom to use Thomas or use for any other women who did not want to use women’s locker room while Thomas was using it There were “complaints.

Robin Harris, executive director of the Ivy League, has also been accused of fighting against the transgender’s participation in swimming against the NCAA rules, which the NCAA was considering. And in 2022, Thomas was disqualified to compete. Harris did not respond to the CNN request to comment on Thursday.

Under NCAA Leaderships Authorized in 2010At the time of birth, male assigned athletes can participate in women’s sports as long as they have been using testosterone pressing drugs for at least a year, a standard that has been examined by a heavy examination whether this is the case. This is what gives the transfer players unfair physical advantage.

In 2022, the NCAA adopted the new The specific standards of the game Most transgender athletes need to test their testosterone levels less than a specified level. Swimming rules, which were announced less than a month before the 2022 Women’s Championship, make it impossible for Thomas to take part in it because of a three -year documentary hormone level for its transition Needed

Association ultimately Delayed execution Regarding the new standard after the 2022 championship events, saying that short window for compliance “can have unfair and potentially harmful effects on schools and students athletes.”

The legalization states that “the Ivy League had won when the NCAA withdrew its nationwide rules to bring Thomas back to compliance and renew Thomas’s eligibility.”

The plaintiff Alan Holmquast did not qualify for the Ivy League Championship this year. Holmcost It is claimed that a coach was told that he lost the cut off from one place, and argued that Thomas’s participation effectively refused to counter it.

The Republicans are now under the control of the White House, and both Congress houses have quickly implemented their promise of transgender participation in sports. Trump signed a Executive Order On Wednesday, cutting federal funds for educational programs in institutions that allow transgender athletes in women’s incidence.

“With this executive order, the war against women’s sports is over,” Trump said.

The house passed a similar bill last month. The Senate has not yet considered it.

The athlete ally criticized the order, which advocates transgender athletes, Says“Our heart breaks for Trans Youth that will no longer know the happiness of playing games as their complete and authentic self.”

It was not immediately clear how the dramatic change in the federal policy would affect NCAA players. “The NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the Executive Order and will take necessary steps to align the NCAA policy in the coming days, under further guidance of the administration, the president of the NCAA Charlie Baker Said in a statement Wednesday.

Last year, the National Association of Interclasses Athletics, which organizes sports in 250 small colleges and universities, announced that it was effectively banning athletic participation in most women’s sports programs by transgender women. Û”

The association, “only NAIA student players who have biological sex women can participate in women’s sports organized by NAIA.” SaidProviding exceptions for only methods, team activities and exhibitions.

The Biden administration has earlier introduced the rules and regulations, causing the latest legal measures in the compliance departments of the college, stating that the title IX reservations applies to transgender people. But the proposal to make this guidance apparently applies to women’s athletics ShelfAnd last month the wider rules were abolished by a federal judge.

Lia Thomas has not publicly commented on the latest litigation. In spite of it Expressing intentions Keep swimmingly swimming After college, Thomas has been withheld from international programs through the Rules of World Equatics, which only enable transgender athletes who have not experienced biological puberty.

The Sports Court of Arbitration denied Thomas’s challenge for the rule, which disqualified most of the elite competitions, including the 2024 Olympics.

CNN’s Jessi Yong and Samantha Waldenburg participated in the report.

Leave a Comment