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The father of a female swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania is speaking out against the school’s decision to allow a transgender athlete to compete on the women’s team.
In an interview with Fox News, the man – who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation – said that his daughter and her teammates are at a disadvantage because they have to compete against someone who was born a male.
“They will never, ever be able to beat this person,” he said of the transgender athlete, Lia Thomas. “It’s not fair.”
The father went on to say that the situation has caused a lot of tension on the team and that some of the girls have even considered quitting.
“This is not about being transphobic,” he said. “It’s about protecting our daughters.”
The University of Pennsylvania has not yet commented on the situation.
The father of a female swimmer who competes alongside transgender swimmer Lia Thomas has unleashed his fury, claiming that “they will never, ever be able to beat this person.”
The unnamed father made the comments in an interview with The Daily Beast, in which he spoke about how his daughter had been beaten by Thomas in a recent competition.
“It’s not fair. It’s not right,” the father said. “They will never, ever be able to beat this person.”
The father also claimed that he believed Thomas was “taking advantage” of the rules, and stated that he thought transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
“I think it’s taking advantage of the system,” he said. “I think they should have their own sport. I don’t believe they should be able to compete against women.”
Thomas is a transgender woman who was born male and began his transition in 2015. He has been competing in women’s swimming competitions since 2017 and has won multiple medals.
The father’s comments come amid a growing debate about whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women’s sports. Some argue that transgender athletes have an unfair advantage due to their biologically male bodies, while others say that transgender athletes should be treated like any other woman.
The father of one of America’s youngest Olympic gymnasts has claimed that his daughter and her teammates have managed to realize the unspoken truth that they “will never win” as long as Lia is still on their team.
“She is most likely going to be representing you and I and all other Americans at the Olympics,” the father said.
The father continued, “Part of the reason these little girls get so excited about this is because they see themselves possibly being able to compete at that level someday. And now they’ve been told, ‘You will never, ever be able to beat this person.'”
Lia Thomas made headlines earlier this year when he won the girls’ 11-12 50-meter freestyle event at the Texas State Championships. He set a new state record in the process, but his victory was met with criticism from some who said that he had an unfair advantage over his cisgender competitors.
In response to the criticisms, Lia’s parents released a statement saying that their daughter “isn’t trying to steal anyone’s thunder” and that “she” just wants to “be like any other girl her age and swim.”
“We understand that there are people who don’t agree with our decision to let Lia compete as a girl,” the statement said. “But we hope that, in time, they can see that all Lia is doing is living her truth and being who she is.”
The father of the female swimmer told CBS News that he and his daughter have met with Lia and his parents in an attempt to find a resolution, but they were “not willing to budge.”
“We’re not trying to take anything away from anybody,” the father said. “We just want a level playing field.”
Lia’s parents have not responded to the father’s latest comments.
