A swimmer on the College of Pennsylvania girls's staff slammed the college for focusing all its consideration on transgender teammate Lia Thomas and claimed the college would sue if there's a rule change that forestalls her from competing in March's NCAA championship.
The swimmer, who spoke with Fox Information on the situation of anonymity, mentioned it was not truthful to permit Thomas, 22, who transitioned from male to feminine final yr, to compete with athletes who have been born feminine and mentioned the college was transfixed on serving to Thomas compete.
She added that she heard 'from some directors' that both UPenn or Penn Athletic would file a lawsuit Thomas was not allowed to compete within the 2022 NCAA Swimming and Diving championships.
'I've a sense that if USA Swimming modifications their guidelines [for trans athletes], they are going to be submitting a lawsuit for Lia to swim, however they would not try this for us,' she mentioned. 'That is simply actually upsetting.'
UPenn didn't instantly reply to DailyMail.com's request for remark.
Like lots of Thomas' critics on the staff, the teammate spoke underneath anonymity as a result of she feared the backlash and being labeled transphobic.
She informed informed Fox that it was in the end unattainable for Thomas to compete pretty in opposition to different feminine swimmers.
'We sort of notice that it is not simply testosterone ranges,' she mentioned. 'It is testosterone ranges from the final 20 years and the way that affected, , the truth that [Thomas] went by means of male puberty and the best way that constructed her coronary heart and lungs and her fingers and the best way she circulates blood and the lactic acid and all that stuff.
'Stuff that - it is not simply the distinction between two women and the way one might need barely bigger lungs and that provides them a slight benefit,' she added.
'These are monumental benefits that organic males simply develop by means of puberty, and it is not one thing {that a} yr of [hormone treatments] can suppress as a result of they nonetheless have all of the muscle mass that they had from the final 20 years.'
The teammate added that UPenn appears to care extra about Thomas than the remainder of the staff as a number of members proceed to protest Thomas' inclusion on the staff.
'They're mainly saying that Lia swimming is a non-negotiable,' she mentioned. 'They weren't prepared to truly assist us, they have been simply prepared to brush it underneath the rug and be [say], 'Oh, your emotions are legitimate.'
'They're simply proving, as soon as once more, that they do not really care about their girls athletes,' the swimmer mentioned of the College of Pennsylvania.
'They are saying that they care and that they are right here for our feelings, however why do we now have to be gracious losers? ... Who're you to inform me that I should not need to win as a result of I do need to win. I am swimming. I am dedicating greater than 20 hours per week to the game.
'These individuals in Penn's administrative division who simply assume that girls ought to simply roll over - it is disturbing, and it is paying homage to the Seventies after they have been preventing for Title IX and stuff like that. They do not really care about girls in any respect.'
The NCAA, which set guidelines permitting transgender athletes to compete after finishing a yr of hormone remedy, just lately washed its fingers of the row, asserting that transgender participation will now be decided by every sport's nationwide governing physique.
In Thomas' case, this might fall underneath USA Swimming, which is contemplating a brand new coverage.
'USA Swimming firmly believes in inclusivity and the chance for all athletes to expertise the game of swimming in a fashion in keeping with their gender identification and expression,' USA Swimming said final week.
'We additionally strongly imagine in aggressive fairness, and, like many, are doing our greatest to study and educate ourselves on the suitable stability on this house.'
USA Swimming had mentioned it might permit 'non-elite' athletes to compete in a manner that's 'in keeping with their gender identification,' however didn't clarify whether or not transgender swimmers like Thomas are thought-about elite.
USA Swimming didn't reply to the DailyMail's request for replace on Thomas' eligibility to compete.
The newest feedback in opposition to Thomas come after one other teammate spoke to DailyMail.com on Thursday and mentioned she and different teammates have been uncomfortable with sharing a altering room with Thomas.
'It is positively awkward as a result of Lia nonetheless has male physique components and continues to be interested in girls,' teammate mentioned in an unique interview with DailyMail.com.
Lia has informed her teammates that she dates girls.
Whereas Lia covers herself with a towel typically, there's a good quantity of nudity, the swimmer mentioned. She and others have had a glimpse at her non-public components.
She said that staff members have raised their concern with the coach, attempting to get Thomas ousted from the feminine locker room, however received nowhere.
'A number of swimmers have raised it, a number of totally different instances,' the UPenn swimmer mentioned. 'However we have been mainly informed that we couldn't ostracize Lia by not having her within the locker room and that there is nothing we will do about it, that we mainly should roll over and settle for it, or we can't use our personal locker room.'
'It is actually upsetting as a result of Lia would not appear to care the way it makes anybody else really feel,' the swimmer continued. 'The 35 of us are simply supposed to simply accept being uncomfortable in our personal house and locker room for, like, the emotions of 1.'
Thomas plans to interrupt her longtime silence and solely share her story in an upcoming interview with Sports activities Illustrated.
