University of Pennsylvania Reverses Lia Thomas Records and Bans Transgender Women from Female Sports Teams

The University of Pennsylvania has announced a major policy shift in collegiate athletics by formally banning transgender women from competing in women’s sports, marking the end of a high-profile federal civil rights case centered around Lia Thomas, the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title.

As part of a voluntary agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, the university has also revoked three school records previously held by Thomas and restored those honors to the female swimmers who competed against her during the 2021–22 season. In addition, Penn will send personalized apology letters to each affected swimmer, acknowledging the competitive disadvantage they experienced.

Thomas had competed under the eligibility rules in place at the time and made history by winning the national title in the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA championships. The university’s official website now reflects updated records, with annotations stating that Thomas set her times while “competing under eligibility rules in effect at the time.”

Penn President J. Larry Jameson addressed the issue publicly, stating that while the school followed NCAA and Title IX policies during Thomas’s participation, it now recognizes that those policies created an unfair environment for some athletes. “We acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules,” he said. “We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or emotional distress.”

In compliance with the federal agreement, the university must now adopt a biology-based definition of sex, and has pledged that it will no longer allow male athletes to compete in female sports programs. This marks a major reversal from the university’s previous position and reflects the recent February 2025 change in NCAA policy, which restricts women's sports competition to individuals assigned female at birth.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon hailed the decision as a win for women's rights, stating, “The Department commends UPenn for rectifying its past harms against women and girls, and we will continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX's proper application.”

The federal investigation, which began in February 2025, concluded in April that the university violated Title IX, the 1972 law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. Rather than risk further legal action or loss of federal funding, Penn agreed to a settlement, a common resolution method for such cases.

Public reaction to the decision has been sharply divided. Riley Gaines, a former swimmer for the University of Kentucky who competed alongside Thomas in 2022, thanked President Donald Trump and expressed surprise at the outcome, saying, “Are pigs flying?” Gaines has been a vocal opponent of allowing transgender women in women’s sports since sharing a locker room with Thomas during the championships.

Earlier this year, the Education Department had also urged organizations like the NCAA and National Federation of State High School Associations to reassess titles and records awarded to biological males in women’s divisions. While Penn has taken action in response, these organizations have yet to formally respond or announce any policy changes.

The case of Lia Thomas has become a national flashpoint in the debate over transgender inclusion in sports versus fairness in women’s athletics. Although the NCAA has updated its records in past cases involving recruiting violations or rule infractions, it remains unclear how it might approach past events involving transgender athletes.

With this landmark decision, the University of Pennsylvania becomes one of the first elite academic institutions to officially reverse course on transgender participation in athletics, potentially setting a precedent for other schools and athletic bodies navigating the evolving legal and cultural landscape surrounding Title IX and gender identity in sports.