In a landmark resolution announced on July 2, 2025, the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Education, resulting in the removal of Lia Thomas’s swimming records from the university’s official listings.
The settlement follows a federal civil rights investigation initiated by the Trump administration, which concluded that UPenn violated Title IX by allowing Thomas—a biological male—to compete in women’s swimming events during the 2021–2022 season. The administration argued at the time that such participation constituted sex-based discrimination against cisgender female athletes.
As part of the agreement, UPenn will receive the release of $175 million in previously frozen federal funding. In return, the university committed to:
Thomas’s name has been removed from the top times in the 100, 200, and 500-yard freestyle events.
UPenn President J. Larry Jameson acknowledged that some athletes may have been disadvantaged and expressed a commitment to inclusivity while complying with federal mandates.
The decision has sparked praise from the Trump administration with Education Secretary Lina McMahon saying, “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.”
Former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines celebrated the news saying this on X,
The NCAA still recognizes Thomas, a biological male, as the 2022 individual female national champion however, many people are calling on the NCAA to revoke his champion status in the record books and award it to the rightful winner – Emma Weyant from the University of Virginia. Historically, the NCAA has revoked 20 national titles from schools or individuals due to infractions.
Now with this settlement and potential legal ramifications on the horizon, it makes sense for the NCAA to catch up with the common-sense mentality supported by the vast majority of the country.
In related news, the Supreme Court announced that it will decide whether states can ban transgender athletes from competing in high school athletics opposite to their respective biological sex. The high court will hear two separate cases from states looking to ban males in female sports in the upcoming term.
This settlement and announcement from the courts caps a very successful two weeks for the Trump administration, securing wins in foreign policy, trade deals and a harrowing but successful journey of the “Big, Beautiful Bill” through Congress.
