NCAA Decision Paves Way for Trans Swimmer Lia Thomas to Compete at 2022 Championships

The NCAA announced it will not adopt a new USA Swimming policy regarding transgender athletes for its winter championships, which should pave the way for Penn swimmer Lia Thomas to compete for a national championship. 

"The subcommittee decided implementing additional changes at this time could have unfair and potentially detrimental impacts on schools and student-athletes intending to compete in 2022 NCAA women's swimming championships," the NCAA said in a statement.

The NCAA said transgender athletes will only have to comply with rules set forth under a 2010 policy that requires male-to-female transgender athletes have less than 10 nanomoles per liter of testosterone in their blood.

A new USA Swimming policy, which was announced last week, allows for a maximum of five nanomoles per liter of testosterone and must be demonstrated for a 36-month period. 

Thomas, who competed on the men's team before taking two years off to transition and undergo gender-confirming hormone replacement therapy, has emerged as one of the top middle-distance women's swimmers in the NCAA. She holds the top times in the NCAA in two events and is considered a strong contender to win a national championship.

Transgender athletes competing on sports teams that match their gender identity has become a recent topic of criticism and legislation. Sixteen of Thomas' 41 teammates asked the NCAA to follow new Team USA rules and bar her from competition, claiming a competitive advantage.

"We, 16 members of the Penn Women's Swimming Team and our family members, thank USA Swimming, for listening to our request to prioritize fairness for biological women in our elite competitions," the letter said. "We ask that Penn and the Ivy League support us as biological women, and not engage in legal action with the NCAA to challenge these new Athlete Inclusion Policies."

Six of Thomas' teammates were among the more than 300 swimmers who signed an open letter sent to the NCAA's Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports supporting her right to compete. The signees included swimmers from all of the Power 5 conferences and Olympic silver medalist Erica Sullivan. 

"With this letter, we express our support for Lia Thomas, and all transgender college athletes, who deserve to be able to participate in safe and welcoming athletic environments," the letter in support of Thomas said. "We urge you to not allow political pressure to compromise the safety and wellbeing of college athletes everywhere."

More than 20 states have considered or passed bills banning trans youth from competing on teams that match their gender identity over the last two years, per NBC.

Thomas will compete at Ivy League championships beginning Feb. 16, and the NCAA Division I men's and women's swimming and diving championships are set for March 16-19.