USA Rules Prompt UPenn to Reverse Course on Transgender Athlete Participation

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UPenn Bans Trans Athletes from Women’s Sports After Federal Investigation into Lia Thomas Case

The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to bar transgender athletes from participating in its women’s sports programs, concluding a federal civil rights investigation centered on former swimmer Lia Thomas, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday.

The settlement follows a probe by the Department’s Office for Civil Rights, which determined that UPenn violated Title IX — a federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational settings — by allowing Thomas, a transgender woman, to compete on the women’s swim team during the 2021–2022 season.

As part of the agreement, UPenn pledged to fully comply with Title IX moving forward. The university will reinstate the original records and titles of all female swimmers impacted by Thomas’s participation and issue each of them a personal letter of apology. Additionally, the school will release a public statement affirming that only individuals assigned female at birth will be permitted to compete in women’s sports or use female-designated athletic facilities.

The controversy around Thomas — who previously competed on UPenn’s men’s swim team before transitioning and undergoing hormone therapy — ignited national debate on transgender inclusion in sports. Critics argued that her participation gave her an unfair advantage, while supporters said she should be allowed to compete according to her gender identity.

One of Thomas’s competitors, Riley Gaines — who tied with her in a major collegiate race in 2022 — praised the decision. “Today sends a powerful message to institutions that women’s civil rights cannot be ignored,” Gaines said.

President Donald Trump, who has made restrictions on transgender athletes a focal point of his political platform, issued an executive order earlier this year mandating that federal funding can be withheld from schools that fail to define sex based on biological sex at birth. Education Secretary Linda McMahon hailed UPenn’s compliance as “a major victory for women and girls” and emphasized the administration’s commitment to upholding Title IX’s original intent.

The decision marks a significant moment in the ongoing national debate over the intersection of gender identity, fairness, and civil rights in sports.