The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) will strip transgender athlete Lia Thomas of her swimming records after agreeing to demands from the Trump administration.
It will also ban transgender athletes from competing in female-only sports or using UPenn Athletics female changing facilities.
It is not clear if UPenn will also strip Thomas of her titles.
Highlights
- UPenn will strip transgender swimmer Lia Thomas of her records following a Trump DOE Title IX investigation and resolution agreement.
- The university will ban transgender athletes from female sports teams per new biology-based definitions.
- UPenn will apologize to female athletes disadvantaged under previous NCAA eligibility rules.
- Lia Thomas' case sparked national debate; figures like Riley Gaines and Secretary Linda McMahon hailed the policy shift as a victory.
Lia Thomas will be stripped of her swimming records and could lose her titles
Image credits: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The agreement relates to a February Title IX investigation into UPenn after the university awarded Thomas a roster spot on the Women’s 2021-22 swimming and diving Team.
Thomas won the 2022 NCAA championship in the women’s 500-yard freestyle before she graduated.
In April, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) concluded UPenn had violated Title IX and issued a proposed resolution agreement to voluntarily resolve the “violations.”
Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
UPenn has now agreed to sign an OCR resolution.
Image credits: Justin Casterline/Getty Images
It will review and update swimming records set during the 2021-22 season to indicate who will now hold them under current eligibility guidelines.
UPenn will also adopt biology-based definitions for the words ‘male’ and ‘female,’ consistent with Trump’s executive orders on transgender athletes.
UPenn President Larry Jameson described it as a “complex issue” and said the university’s commitment to a “respectful and welcoming environment” was “unwavering.”
“While Penn’s policies during the 2021-2022 swim season were in accordance with NCAA eligibility rules at the time, we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules,” he said in a statement.
“We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time.”
Image credits: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“Penn has always followed—and continues to follow—Title IX and the applicable policy of the NCAA regarding transgender athletes,” he added.
“NCAA eligibility rules changed in February 2025 with Executive Orders 14168 and 14201 and Penn will continue to adhere to these new rules.”
Also on the Department of Education’s list of demands was to “send a personalized letter of apology to each impacted female swimmer.”
Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who completed against Thomas in the 2022 NCAA swimming and diving championships, has welcomed UPenn's change of policy.
She has been a vocal advocate against transgender athletes competing in women's sports after drawing fifth place with Thomas in the 200-yard freestyle in 2022.
Riley Gaines has welcomed Upenn’s change of policy
“It is my hope that today demonstrates to educational institutions that they will no longer be allowed to trample upon women’s civil rights, and renews hope in every female athlete that their country’s highest leadership will not relent until they have the dignity, safety, and fairness they deserve,” she said in a statement.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said: “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the University for future generations of female athletes,”
“Today is a great victory for women and girls not only at the University of Pennsylvania, but all across our nation."
“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 and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law.”
In March, the Trump administration moved to cut $175 million in funding for UPenn over the issue. It is not clear if this funding will now be restored.
Since he took office in January, Donald Trump has consistently targeted transgender individuals.
He signed an executive order to block transgender women from competing in women’s and girls’ sports at institutions receiving federal funding.
He also signed an executive order redefining gender across all federal agencies based solely on biological sex, and is ramping up efforts to block transgender people from serving in the military.