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Former Teammate of Lia Thomas Demands Apology, Citing Discomfort Over Daily Changing Situations Amidst Olympic Eligibility Battle

Paula Scanlan expressed relief over Lia Thomas’ Olympic exclusion and asserted her right to an apology for feeling compelled to change alongside the transgender athlete “18 times a week.” Following Wednesday’s announcement that Thomas, 25, lost her legal fight to compete in the Olympic Games, Scanlan took to Twitter (X) to voice her demand: “Okay, but is anyone going to apologize for making us undress with him 18 times a week?”

Thomas made headlines in March 2022 by becoming the first transgender athlete to secure the women’s NCAA college swimming title, a prestigious achievement in US collegiate sports.

However, shortly thereafter, the World Aquatics (WA) implemented a rule change barring individuals who had undergone ‘any part of male puberty’ from competing in the female category.

Paula Scanlan (pictured above) has welcomed the news that her former team-mate Lia Thomas will not be allowed compete at the Olympic GamesThomas will not compete in the Olympic Games after she lost her legal battle to have the rules barring her involvement in the tournament overturned

Paula Scanlan, shown on the left in the picture, has welcomed the news that her former teammate Lia Thomas, pictured on the right, will not be permitted to compete at the Olympic Games.

Instead, they established an ‘open’ category that included eligibility for transgender athletes. However, Thomas was dissatisfied with this decision and sought intervention from the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn the rules adopted in 2022.

Having swam for Pennsylvania’s men’s team for three seasons before starting hormone replacement therapy in early 2019, Thomas argued that the rules were invalid, unlawful, and discriminatory.

However, the CAS panel, composed of three judges, rejected Thomas’ arbitration request against the World Aquatics governing body and dismissed the case on a technicality.

They ruled that Thomas was ineligible to contest her eligibility for WA competitions such as the Olympics or world championships because she was no longer affiliated with US swimming.

As a result, the decision dashed Thomas’ hopes of competing at the Olympic Games, which the 25-year-old described as “deeply disappointing” in a statement provided by her legal team.

The statement, issued via AP, asserted, “Blanket bans preventing trans women from competing are discriminatory and deny us valuable athletic opportunities that are integral to our identities.”

Thomas reportedly framed the CAS decision as a catalyst for transgender women to “stand up for our dignity and human rights.”

Meanwhile, Sarah Kate Ellis, president/CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), stated that Thomas deserves the chance to participate in her sport and pursue her dreams.

She set seven UPenn women's teams records (five individual) and won three individual events at the Ivy League Championships in February 2022Thomas caught the headlines in March 2022 when she became the first trans-athlete to win the women's NCAA college swimming title - the USA's most prestigious college title
In March 2022, Thomas made waves by becoming the first transgender athlete to clinch the women’s NCAA college swimming title, the most prestigious collegiate accolade in the USA.
It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that the 25-year-old swimmer would not be permitted compete in women's events at the Olympic Games

On Wednesday afternoon, it was announced that the 25-year-old swimmer would not be allowed to compete in women’s events at the Olympic Games.

Scanlan, Thomas' former University of Pennsylvania teammate, took to social media shortly after verdict was revealed to demand an apology

Scanlan, Lia Thomas’ former teammate from the University of Pennsylvania, took to social media shortly after the verdict was revealed to demand an apology.

She claims that she was forced to undress alongside the transgender swimmer in Pennsylvania

She alleges that she was compelled to change alongside the transgender swimmer in Pennsylvania.

Thomas swam for Pennsylvania 's men's team for three seasons before beginning hormone replacement therapy

A beautician recounts her experience of discovering that a seemingly innocuous white spot on her lip was actually skin cancer. Melissa Floss, 52, from Western Australia, shared her journey with FEMAIL, revealing that despite consulting multiple medical professionals, it wasn’t until she persisted for a thorough diagnosis that the problem was recognized. Despite initial dismissal by her doctor and dentist, Melissa’s persistence and instincts drove her to seek a third opinion from another physician.

“World Aquatics continues to propagate misinformation about transgender individuals under the guise of ‘protecting women,'” Ellis emphasized. “Transgender women are women, and all athletes who adhere to the rules should have the opportunity to compete.”

However, one individual who welcomed the news was Thomas’ former teammate, Scanlan. After the verdict was announced, Scanlan took to Twitter (X) to express her sentiments.

Scanlan, who swam alongside Thomas at the University of Pennsylvania, retweeted the New York Post’s article announcing that the transgender athlete would not be allowed to compete in the Olympics. The post garnered significant attention with 3.9 million views and 47,000 likes. It read: “Okay, but is anyone going to apologize for forcing us to undress with him 18 times a week?”

This isn’t the first instance where Scanlan has voiced opposition to Thomas’ participation in women’s sports. She previously criticized the Democratic party for prioritizing ‘trans rights’ over women’s concerns.

Recently, Scanlan addressed the issue of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports while testifying before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government.

She urged lawmakers to prioritize women’s physical safety when making decisions about women-only spaces like locker rooms, citing her own experience of feeling unsettled after sharing a changing room with transgender athletes, which led to nightmares for weeks.

Scanlan, who had experienced sexual assault at 16, disclosed that Thomas’ presence triggered memories of past trauma. Speaking to the New York Post, she explained, “In general, bathrooms were a place I felt really uncomfortable. I would just kind of relive the situation that I went through when I was 16. I would be at my locker and then all of a sudden hear a masculine voice, and I would just jump. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, somebody got in here.’ It’s incredibly vulnerable. I had nightmares for weeks about men being there while we were dressing.”

In 2021, Thomas sparked controversy by joining the women’s team. She set seven UPenn women’s team records (five individual) and won three individual events at the Ivy League Championships in February 2022.

Defending her position in women’s swimming during an interview with Sports Illustrated last year, Thomas stated, “I’m a woman, just like anybody else on the team. I’ve always viewed myself as just a swimmer. It’s what I’ve done for so long; it’s what I love.”

Criticism of Thomas has come from various quarters, including within the transgender community. Olympic champion Caitlyn Jenner has also expressed disagreement with Thomas being permitted to compete as a woman.

She urged lawmakers to prioritize women’s physical safety when making decisions about women-only spaces like locker rooms, citing her own experience of feeling unsettled after sharing a changing room with transgender athletes, which led to nightmares for weeks.

Scanlan, who had experienced sexual assault at 16, disclosed that Thomas’ presence triggered memories of past trauma. Speaking to the New York Post, she explained, “In general, bathrooms were a place I felt really uncomfortable. I would just kind of relive the situation that I went through when I was 16. I would be at my locker and then all of a sudden hear a masculine voice, and I would just jump. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, somebody got in here.’ It’s incredibly vulnerable. I had nightmares for weeks about men being there while we were dressing.”

In 2021, Thomas sparked controversy by joining the women’s team. She set seven UPenn women’s team records (five individual) and won three individual events at the Ivy League Championships in February 2022.

Defending her position in women’s swimming during an interview with Sports Illustrated last year, Thomas stated, “I’m a woman, just like anybody else on the team. I’ve always viewed myself as just a swimmer. It’s what I’ve done for so long; it’s what I love.”

Criticism of Thomas has come from various quarters, including within the transgender community. Olympic champion Caitlyn Jenner has also expressed disagreement with Thomas being permitted to compete as a woman.

Scanlan testifying at a House Judiciary hearing on dangers of 'Gender-Affirming Care' in 2023

Scanlan testified at a House Judiciary hearing in 2023 on the risks associated with ‘Gender-Affirming Care’.

She says Thomas' presence in woman's spaces made her and others uncomfortable

She expressed that Thomas’ presence in women’s spaces caused discomfort for herself and others.

While Thomas' college career is over, Scanlan still believes it's an important topic given there will be similar instances in the future

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Despite Thomas’ college career coming to an end, Scanlan maintains that the issue remains significant, anticipating similar occurrences in both amateur and professional sports in the future.

“I’ve been consistent in my approach to transgender athletes, recognizing that each sport is unique,” she told Fox News earlier this year. “Clearly, with Lia Thomas, having undergone male puberty and possessing a larger cardiovascular system, it simply wasn’t equitable.”

While Thomas has completed her college career, Scanlan stresses the ongoing relevance of the topic, particularly in relation to amateur and professional sports.

“If there had been a male athlete on my high school team, I would have quit, and my entire trajectory would have been altered,” she told The Post. “I would have missed out on attending a good college and everything that followed.

“If even one girl is deterred from participating in sports because of this issue, we’ve failed,” Scanlan continued. “It’s crucial to ensure that girls have equal opportunities in sports.”

 

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