In 2022, Thomas became the first transgender swimmer to win the US collegiate championship and expressed her desire to qualify for the Paris Olympics. Shortly after, the international federation World Aquatics (then still FINA) decided that transgender athletes can compete in women’s competitions only if they underwent a gender change before the age of 12.
Twenty-five-year-old Thomas appealed to CAS in January, calling the rules discriminatory. However, a three-member panel of the Arbitration of Sport rejected her appeal, saying that since she is not authorized to compete in the USA, she does not even meet the conditions for competitions under the World Aquatics banner.
The CAS decision was welcomed by the swimming federation, calling it “a big step in our quest to protect women’s sport”. According to scientific studies, female athletes who have gone through male puberty have a significant advantage over women from birth. Thomas received her university degree two years after her gender transition.
After World Aquatics, the World Athletics organization introduced a similar rule.
2024-06-12 20:23:09
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