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| - Last Updated on July 8, 2024 by Dr Priyamvada
Quick Take
A Facebook post claims that Lia Thomas has been ordered to compete with men, instead of women. We did the fact check to term it as False.
The Claim?
According to a Facebook post from 22 June 2024, Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, has been banned from the 2024 Olympics. It further claims that she was ordered to compete with men.
Fact Check
What does transgender mean?
Transgender refers to individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. This can involve transitioning through medical, social, or legal means to align one’s gender identity with their lived experience. Understanding this context is important for appreciating and supporting the challenges and discussions surrounding transgender athletes in professional sports.
What are the official policies on transgender athletes in the Olympics?
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has established guidelines for transgender athletes to ensure fairness and inclusion. According to these guidelines, transgender women can compete in women’s events if their testosterone levels have been below a certain threshold for at least 12 months prior to the competition. As of now, there have been no recent changes to these rules that would affect Lia Thomas’s eligibility.
Who is Lia Thomas?
Lia Catherine Thomas is an American swimmer. She became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship. She won the women’s 500-yard freestyle event in 2022. Subsequently, World Aquatics barred her from competing in elite women’s events. Her career has become a centre of public debates surrounding transgender women in women’s sports.
Has Lia Thomas been banned from the 2024 Olympics?
Yes, Lia Thomas has been banned from competing in the 2024 Olympics. In 2022, World Aquatics (formerly FINA), the governing body of world swimming, implemented a rule effectively banning transgender athletes from competing at elite levels like the Olympics. There is an exception to this rule unless they transitioned before the age of 12. This ruling remains in effect, and on 12 June 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed Thomas’s challenge to this rule, confirming her ineligibility for the 2024 Olympics.
Has Lia Thomas been ordered to compete with men in the 2024 Olympics?
No, Lia Thomas has not been ordered to compete with men in the 2024 Olympics. The claim that she has been mandated to compete against men is incorrect. Even though she is ineligible to compete in women’s events at the Olympics due to World Aquatics’ rule, there is no directive requiring her to compete in men’s events. She remains eligible to compete in other non-elite USA Swimming events in the women’s category.
What are the reasons for opposing trans women competing in the women’s category?
Opposition to trans women competing in the women’s category is mainly due to the concerns about fairness and competitive balance. Critics argue that trans women who have gone through male puberty retain physical advantages, such as greater muscle mass, bone density, and cardiovascular capacity, even after hormone therapy. These advantages are believed to create an uneven playing field in women’s sports.
The argument against Lia Thomas competing with cisgender women is based on her physical advantages developed after puberty. These include a larger heart, more haemoglobin, leaner body mass, and larger lung capacity. Post-puberty males have 15 times more testosterone than females, providing a 10-12% edge in running and swimming and a 20% advantage in jumping events, according to a 2018 Endocrine Review article. Although hormonal therapy reduces testosterone, it doesn’t fully eliminate advantages like bone structure and organ size if the transition occurs after puberty.
According to Women in Sport, sports are inherently physical, and the differing physiologies of men and women affect competition fairness. Men generally have greater muscle mass, strength, and cardiovascular capacity, even after hormone therapy. Research shows men have a 10-12% performance edge in running and swimming and a 20% advantage in jumping. Hormone suppression doesn’t fully negate these advantages. This has led to calls for alternative solutions for transgender inclusion in sports to ensure fair competition for natal women and safe participation for all.
Why do misinformation and rumours about transgender athletes persist?
Rumours and false information about the LGBTQIA+ community in general, often spread on social media, causing many to believe false claims. This can affect how the public views these athletes from these communities. And, this further contributes to prejudice and misunderstanding. Such misinformation can have serious impacts, especially on the mental health of trans athletes and other marginalised communities. Therefore, you should always critically assess sensational claims.
What is the current status of Lia Thomas’s eligibility for the 2024 Olympics?
As of the latest updates, Lia Thomas remains ineligible to compete in the 2024 Olympics due to World Aquatics’ rule. This rule states that only transgender athletes who transitioned before the age of 12 are allowed to compete in women’s events at the elite level. Lia Thomas can, however, compete in USA Swimming events that are not classified as “Elite Events.”
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