In a landmark decision that has reignited global debates on transgender inclusion in sports, Lia Thomas, the first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA Division I swimming championship, has been barred from competing in the women’s category at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in collaboration with World Aquatics, announced in August 2025 that Thomas must compete in the men’s category due to updated eligibility criteria for transgender athletes. This ruling, rooted in World Aquatics’ 2022 policy barring transgender women who have undergone male puberty from elite women’s events, has sparked intense controversy. Reactions from male athletes, ranging from support to skepticism, have left Thomas and her supporters grappling with the implications of this decision.

Thomas rose to prominence in 2022 when she won the women’s 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA Championships, a victory that marked a historic milestone but also fueled polarized discussions. Having begun hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in 2019, Thomas complied with NCAA rules allowing transgender women to compete after one year of HRT. Her success, however, drew criticism from those who argued that her prior male puberty provided physical advantages, such as greater muscle mass and bone density, despite hormone suppression. In response, Thomas maintained that her transition was about living authentically, not gaining a competitive edge. “I transitioned to be happy, to be true to myself,” she told ESPN in 2022. Nevertheless, World Aquatics’ 2022 policy effectively halted her elite-level career, leading her to challenge the rules at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2023.

The CAS dismissed Thomas’s case in June 2024, citing her lack of standing as she was no longer a member of USA Swimming. The recent IOC decision builds on this, introducing stricter guidelines in 2025 requiring transgender women to demonstrate sustained testosterone levels below a specific threshold for four years prior to competition, alongside other physiological criteria. For Thomas, who began HRT in 2019, meeting these criteria for the 2028 Olympics is feasible, but the requirement to compete in the men’s category poses significant challenges. Her personal best in the 500-yard freestyle (4:33.24) is competitive in women’s events but lags behind elite men’s times, such as the 2024 Olympic men’s 400m freestyle final, where top finishers clocked under 3:41.

Reactions from male athletes have been mixed, adding complexity to the controversy. U.S. backstroke specialist Hunter Armstrong expressed empathy on X, stating, “Lia’s a competitor, and I respect her grind. This whole situation is messy, and I don’t think anyone’s happy with how it’s being handled.” His post, which garnered thousands of likes, reflects a sentiment among some athletes that the binary categorization of sports fails to accommodate transgender athletes’ realities. Conversely, others have been less supportive. An anonymous male swimmer quoted in a recent article suggested Thomas’s inclusion in men’s events could disrupt team dynamics, citing her previous rankings in men’s swimming (554th in the 200 freestyle) before transitioning. These varied responses have reportedly shocked Thomas, who expected more solidarity from peers.

The decision has broader implications for the 2028 Olympics and beyond. Supporters, including Athlete Ally’s Hudson Taylor, argue that forcing Thomas to compete with men undermines her gender identity and sets a precedent for excluding transgender women from women’s sports. They point to studies, like a 2017 Sports Medicine report, suggesting no consistent athletic advantage for transgender women after HRT. Critics, however, including Riley Gaines and Caitlyn Jenner, hail the ruling as a step toward fairness in women’s sports. Gaines, who tied with Thomas in 2022, called it “a victory for women and girls,” while Jenner’s Fairness First initiative advocates for sex-based categories to preserve competitive equity.

Public sentiment on X remains divided, with some users praising the IOC for prioritizing fairness and others condemning the decision as discriminatory. As Thomas prepares for a potential shift to men’s events, analysts suggest she may need to overhaul her training to compete at the elite level, a daunting prospect she has not yet publicly addressed. The controversy underscores the ongoing struggle to balance inclusion with competitive fairness, leaving the sports world to navigate a complex and evolving landscape as the 2028 Olympics approach.