Sanity has reigned this week as William "Lia" Thomas, the notorious cheater in NCAA women's swimming who has been trying to get a spot in the women's Olympics this year, saw his challenge against the rules banning biological males from competing in women's races rejected — albeit on technical grounds.
"Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas failed in [his] challenge against rules that stop [him] from competing in elite women's races because judges ruled [he] did not have standing to bring the case," reports the Associated Press. "The Court of Arbitration for Sport panel of three judges dismissed Thomas' request for arbitration with the World Aquatics governing body, in a ruling released Wednesday."
World Aquatics banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in women's races. It also created an "open" category for which transgender athletes would be eligible.
Thomas had asked the sports court in Switzerland to overturn the rules approved in 2022 that she said were invalid, unlawful and discriminatory.
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"The panel concludes that she lacks standing to challenge the policy and the operational requirements in the framework of the present proceeding," the court said in its ruling.
The judges said USA Swimming had no authority "to modify such scope of application" of the world governing body's rules.
World Aquatics said it welcomed the CAS decision in a case "we believe is a major step forward in our efforts to protect women's sport."
Thomas made headlines during the 2021-2022 academic year by dominating his competition in NCAA women’s swimming, sparking significant controversy. Formerly on the men’s swim team, Thomas had an epiphany that he could transition from a mediocre swimmer to a championship-winning swimmer by claiming to identify as a woman. And it worked.
With the complete endorsement of the NCAA, he joined the women’s team and promptly began shattering records against his female peers and rivals. Beyond overshadowing real women's opportunities, Thomas also caused discomfort among teammates by exposing his male genitalia in the locker room.
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“We were not forewarned beforehand that we would be sharing a locker room with Lia. We did not give our consent, they did not ask for our consent, but in that locker room, we turned around, and there’s a 6’4″ biological man dropping his pants and watching us undress, and we were exposed to male genitalia,” Thomas's former competitor Riley Gaines revealed last year.
As much as I'd like to make a shrinkage joke here, this isn't a funny situation. Women have been systematically robbed of their dignity, privacy, and opportunities because of the transgender cult.
Riley Gaines welcomed the CAS decision in a post on X.
"Great news! Lia Thomas won't be able to compete in women's category at the Olympics or any other elite competition," she wrote. "He has just lost his legal battle in Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling. This is a victory for women and girls everywhere."
Gaines also called on the NCAA to strip Thomas of "every award, title, and record he stole from a deserving female athlete."
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