The controversy in which the swimmer has found herself for a few weeks once again raises the delicate question of the place of transgender athletes. The Thomas case has already prompted the NCAA, the organization governing college sports, and then USA Swimmings, the American swimming federation, to promise new regulations. All this against the background of an offensive by conservative politicians. "We will prohibit men from participating in women's competitions", launched Donald Trump, on January 15, during a meeting in Arizona. Without naming her, but calling her masculine, the former president then pointed to Lia Thomas, a 22-year-old student at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the women's swim team since September 2021, after competing in boys .
In one of her rare interviews, on the “TheSwimSwam” podcast, Lia Thomas explains that she realized she was “trans” in the summer of 2018 but first wanted to continue swimming for men.
“It caused me a lot of distress (…).
I was no longer able to concentrate on swimming, on studies, on my friends,” she said.
She then began her transition in May 2019, with hormonal treatment.
For her first season among women, Lia is a hit.
At the beginning of December, in Ohio, she achieved the best performance of the year over 200 yards (183 meters) free (1 min 41 sec 93″) and over 500 yards (457 meters) free (4 min 34 sec 06″) .
Read alsoNew Zealander Laurel Hubbard is the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics
The student abides by NCAA rules, which allow transgender women to compete after undergoing testosterone suppression treatment for at least a year. Not enough for some, especially in a power sport like swimming, because her transition started after puberty. For its defenders, the controversy is just one more proof of the discrimination suffered by transgender people. “Lia Thomas is simply an athlete who loves her sport, trains hard and meets all the requirements to swim competitively. Despite this, she is the victim of violent rhetoric, ”lamented the group Athlete Ally.
The subject is divisive in the United States, where several conservative states -- ten according to Athlete Ally -- have passed laws to block young transgender girls from women's sports in school.
Five months after the first participation in the Summer Olympics of Laurel Hubbard, transgender athlete and weightlifter, the question remains a puzzle for sports institutions.
In November, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) passed the ball back to each sport, pointing out the lack of “scientific consensus on the role of testosterone in performance across all sports”.
The NCAA took up this differentiated approach on Thursday, while evoking the idea of testosterone thresholds.
For its part, the University of Pennsylvania has renewed its support for Lia Thomas, in particular with a view to the next NCAA championships in March,