US transgender swimmer William Thomas, known for his infamous victory over Riley Gaines, has lost his chance to participate in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Thomas contested a legal battle against World Aquatics (WA), the international governing body for watersports, arguing the rules barring him from competing were “invalid and unlawful.”
Thomas, who competed as a male on the University of Pennsylvania swim team for three years before undergoing hormone therapy and transitioning, has caused a nationwide debate on the fairness of trans athletes competing in women’s sports.
The 25-year-old swimmer appealed World Aquatics’ 2022 policy, which disallows athletes who’ve undergone any part of male puberty from competing in the female category. However, the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decided against Thomas, concluding he was “simply not entitled to engage with eligibility to compete in WA competitions.”
World Aquatics hailed the decision as a significant stride in preserving women’s sport and reaffirmed their commitment to fostering fairness, respect, and equal opportunities for athletes of both genders.