University of Pennsylvania Revises Records and Apologizes Amid Transgender Athlete Controversy
In a landmark resolution to a federal civil rights case, the University of Pennsylvania has agreed to amend records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. The decision includes issuing apologies to female athletes affected by her participation on the women’s swimming team.
The U.S. Education Department and the university jointly announced the voluntary agreement, which highlights the case of Thomas, a pioneer as the first openly transgender athlete to secure an NCAA Division I title in 2022. This investigation was part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to address transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports, ultimately finding the university in violation of female athletes’ rights.
As part of the agreement, Penn will reinstate all individual Division I records and titles to female athletes who were outperformed by Thomas. Additionally, the university will send personalized apology letters to each of these athletes, according to the Education Department.
By Tuesday afternoon, the Penn athletics website reflected the changes, listing other athletes as record holders in Thomas’ events. The site acknowledges that Thomas set program records in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle events during the 2021-22 season under the eligibility rules at that time.
In a statement, Penn President J. Larry Jameson expressed, “While Penn’s policies during the 2021-2022 swim season were in accordance with NCAA eligibility rules at the time, we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules. We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time.”
The settlement also requires the university to clarify that it “will not allow males to compete in female athletic programs” and mandates the adoption of “biology-based” definitions of male and female.
Jameson noted that Penn has always adhered to NCAA and Title IX rules as they were interpreted, with no independent policies concerning transgender athlete participation. He emphasized that the institution has updated its practices in line with recent changes to eligibility guidelines issued earlier this year. The NCAA recently revised its policy, restricting women’s sports competition to athletes assigned female at birth.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon hailed the agreement as a triumph for women’s sports. “The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls, and we will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX’s proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law,” she stated.
Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who has been outspoken against transgender athletes in women’s sports, reacted to the settlement on social media, writing, “Are pigs flying?” Gaines has been vocal about her experiences competing alongside Thomas.
The Education Department’s investigation, launched in February, concluded in April that Penn breached Title IX, the 1972 law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The case was resolved through a voluntary agreement rather than litigation, which could have involved the Justice Department or jeopardized the university’s federal funding.
In a broader initiative, the Education Department has called on the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations to restore titles, awards, and records it claims were “misappropriated by biological males competing in female categories.” The NCAA has yet to respond to these requests or comment on the matter.
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