Lia Thomas, the trailblazing athlete who made history as the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA Division I championship, has officially been stripped of her medals and records. This decision came after the University of Pennsylvania agreed to ban transgender women from participating on its female sports teams.
The move followed a federal civil rights investigation and mounting pressure from the U.S. Department of Education. Thomas, who won the women’s 500-yard freestyle in 2022, has since graduated and is no longer competing at the collegiate level.
The University of Pennsylvania has officially revoked Lia Thomas’ swimming titles and updated its records to reflect the changes. A statement on the university’s website acknowledges:
“Competing under eligibility rules in effect at the time, Lia Thomas set program records in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle during the 2021-22 season.”
As part of the agreement, UPenn will send apology letters to the women who lost placements due to Thomas’ participation. The university also announced it will adopt biology-based definitions for male and female athletes moving forward.
President J. Larry Jameson stated,
“While Penn’s policies during the 2021-2022 swim season complied with NCAA eligibility rules at the time, we recognize that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules. We sincerely apologize to those who experienced competitive disadvantages or anxiety as a result.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon added,
“Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the University for future generations of female athletes.”
“The Department commends the University of Pennsylvania for taking steps to rectify past harms against women and girls,” said the Department of Education. “We will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX’s proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law.”
This decision is part of a broader initiative led by the Trump administration, which returned to power in January. In May, the Department froze $175 million in federal funding to UPenn due to the university’s previous policies allowing transgender athlete participation.
The administration has consistently opposed transgender participation in women’s sports, and several universities—including Ivy League schools—have faced federal investigations this year. The Department of Education views UPenn’s agreement as a significant step toward restoring fairness and protecting opportunities for female athletes.