The University of Pennsylvania faces a wave of criticism from professional athletes. Nominated transgender college swimmer Lia Thomas Received the 2022 “Woman of the Year” award from the National University Athletic Association.
“This is yet another slap for women,” said Riley Gaines, a swimmer at the University of Kentucky who was nominated for this award. Tweet in response to the news On Friday.
“First a national title for women, it is now nominated for the highest award in college athletics. @NCAA This award has become worthless. ”
Earning a 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Division I Swimming and Diving Championship earlier this year, Thomas is one of the 577 alumni female student athletes nominated by the school for prestigious awards.
This year’s 22-year-old record-breaking season was caught up in a dispute with critics who claimed that competition in the women’s sector gave her an unfair advantage because she was born biologically as a man. ..
“This award is a combination of athletic ability, scholarship, service and personality. What personality did Thomas show other than pure selfishness and qualifications?” Gaines continued, Thomas continued with other women. He accused the athlete of showing “contempt” and “ignore”.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova also criticized this decision.
“what happened?!!!!!!!?” She tweeted on NCAA..
Former NCAA swimming champion Marshi Smith is a frank critic of transgender women competing in women’s sports, and UPenn “doubles the anti-women’s campaign” by deciding to nominate Thomas in honor. I said there is.
“”@RileyGaines The guts alone deserve the “NCAA Woman of the Year”! ” Smith tweeted..
May, Thomas Admitted criticism of her In an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America,” she said she was preparing for a backlash.
“I knew that if I competed as a woman, I would be scrutinized against myself, and I was ready for that,” said a star athlete at the time.
“I’m going to keep swimming … my goal was to swim for a very long time in the Olympic trials, and I want to see through it,” she said.
Last month, the controversy over transgender women in sports led to FINA, the governing body of FINA World Championships. Effectively ban their competition At an elite women’s event.
UPenn did not immediately comment on criticisms of Thomas’ nomination for the NCAA Awards.
