Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas had no probability to win a authorized problem that may have opened the door for a possible Olympics bid — and she or he ought to as a substitute compete in opposition to different trans swimmers … so says a former Crew USA gold medalist.
Embellished swimmer Donna De Varona, who gained two golds on the 1964 Summer season Olympics, joined us on “TMZ Live” Thursday, and we requested her about Lia’s failed bid to overturn guidelines stopping transgender girls from competing in opposition to organic girls on the Olympics.
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Donna says Lia was by no means going to get the ban overturned as a result of she did not get a U.S. Aquatics membership card, which DDV says prevented Lia’s problem from having any standing from the get-go.
Lia — the primary transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I championship — wished to overturn a brand new gender coverage from swimming’s governing physique, which excludes trans girls who totally underwent male puberty from competing in opposition to organic girls. Lia didn’t transition till faculty, so she was excluded below the brand new coverage.
Donna says World Aquatics is making an attempt to accommodate swimmers who do not determine with their beginning intercourse — Lia included — however provides not a single swimmer signed as much as compete in a brand new class particularly for transgender swimmers … which is fascinating.
As an alternative, Donna says trans athletes like Lia solely desires to compete in opposition to organic girls … which she straight-up says is not truthful.
Donna’s been a frontrunner in girls’s athletics for many years, and she or he says she’s been monitoring the variety of podium spots throughout all sports activities the place transgender athletes are taking spots from organic girls. The quantity is astounding … Donna says there are not less than 1,000 cases.
Lia will not be taking on a type of podium spots on the Olympics, although, or at every other elite swimming competitors … not less than for now.
