Male swimmer Lia Thomas has lost his challenge to compete in the Olympics in women’s swimming events.
Among those reacting to the news was Thomas’s former college competitor Riley Gaines.
After being forced to compete against Thomas and share a locker room with him, Gaines now serves as an advocate for women’s rights.
In a Wednesday post on X, Gaines praised the “great news.”
She reposted a Yahoo Sports headline that read, “Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas loses legal challenge in CAS [Court of Arbitration for Sport] ruling.”
The outlet reported:
“The CAS panel found that ‘for the time being’ [he] is not eligible to compete in elite competitions through World Aquatics or USA Swimming, so the policy does not apply to [him].”
“[Thomas] is currently only entitled to compete in USA Swimming events that do not qualify as ‘Elite Events,’” according to the arbitral award.
“Great news!” Gaines wrote to her one million followers.
“Lia Thomas won’t be able to compete in women’s category at the Olympics or any other elite competition.”
“He has just lost his legal battle in Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling,” she added.
Gaines called the ruling a “victory for women and girls everywhere.”
The post has since gone viral with over 2.5 million views at the time of this publication.
Gaines later called on the NCAA to “strip him [Thomas]of every award, title, and record he stole from a deserving female athlete.”
Great news! Lia Thomas won't be able to compete in women's category at the Olympics or any other elite competition.
He has just lost his legal battle in Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling.
This is a victory for women and girls everywherehttps://t.co/fEZc47K0FA
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) June 12, 2024
The former swimmer wasn’t the only one reacting to the news, however.
Many have been taking to social media to celebrate the decision.
“Common sense for the win,” one person wrote.
“Do I agree with biology? Yes, yes I do,” another added.
In a statement, World Aquatics called the decision “a major step forward in our efforts to protect women’s sport.”
“World Aquatics is dedicated to fostering an environment that promotes fairness, respect, and equal opportunities for athletes of all genders and we reaffirm this pledge,” the statement said.
“Our policies and practices are continuously evaluated to ensure they align with these core values, which led to the introduction of our open category.”
“We remain committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to uphold the principles of inclusivity in aquatic sports and remain confident that our gender inclusion policy represents a fair approach,” the statement concluded.
Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer, has become a vocal advocate for women’s rights in sports.
However, she has faced backlash for speaking out against males competing against real females.
The former swimmer made headlines when she talked about how unfair it was having to swim against Thomas in 2022.
She bravely disclosed how uncomfortable it was changing in the locker room with Thomas.
