Riley Gaines advocates for NCAA to revise Lia Thomas' records following UPenn's agreement on the topic with Trump
In a surprising turn of events, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has yet to respond to inquiries about potential changes to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas' 2022 championship finishes. Despite the University of Pennsylvania's decision to erase Thomas' records from its own swimming program books due to a Title IX resolution with the Trump administration, Thomas' NCAA national championship title in the 500-yard freestyle still stands officially [1][2][3].
The University of Pennsylvania agreed to remove Thomas' records from the school’s official women's swimming record books and restore titles and accomplishments to the female athletes who originally earned them. However, the NCAA has not followed suit, leaving Thomas' national championship title intact. This decision has sparked controversy, with athletes like Riley Gaines and public voices urging the NCAA to revoke Thomas' national championship and update the records in line with new transgender policies enacted in February 2025 [1][2].
Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer, is leading a lawsuit against the NCAA for its policies that allowed Thomas to compete. In a recent interview on "Don't @ Me With Dan Dakich," Gaines expressed her disappointment with the NCAA's inaction, describing it as morally bankrupt and cowardly [1]. Gaines believes that the NCAA's failure to amend Thomas' records is denying fair competition to female athletes and considers it a criminal action.
One of the demands in Gaines' lawsuit is that the NCAA rescind all of Thomas' championship finishes. Gaines doesn't expect the NCAA to amend Thomas' records willingly and has suggested that university officials should be charged for their actions. Gaines' lawsuit isn't the only response to the issue. The Oregon girls have opened up about traumatic trans athlete experiences that pushed them to fight back [4].
It's important to note that Thomas also finished in the top 10 in a number of other events, denying higher finishes to female competitors. The issue has gained national attention, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt asserting at an April 18 press conference that violators of Title IX could be "prosecuted" [5].
Jackson Thompson, a sports writer for Digital, has covered the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and interviewed iconic figures. Thompson's sports coverage can be found on X, and subscribers can receive the Sports Huddle newsletter for the latest updates on this and other sports news.
References: [1] "Riley Gaines: NCAA's Inaction on Lia Thomas Case is Morally Bankrupt and Cowardly." Digital, 25 July 2025. Web. 26 July 2025. [2] "NCAA Under Pressure to Revoke Lia Thomas' National Championship Titles." Digital, 15 July 2025. Web. 26 July 2025. [3] "University of Pennsylvania Erases Lia Thomas' Records." Digital, 10 July 2025. Web. 26 July 2025. [4] "Oregon Girls Open Up About Traumatic Trans Athlete Experiences." Digital, 1 July 2025. Web. 26 July 2025. [5] "White House: Title IX Violators Could be Prosecuted." Digital, 18 April 2025. Web. 26 July 2025.
The controversy surrounding Lia Thomas' national championship title in football has not arisen, yet the NCAA's inaction on revoking the title is a critical concern for athletes like Riley Gaines. Gaines, a former university swimmer, is leading a lawsuit against the NCAA, arguing that their policies allow transgender athletes to compete unfairly and deny fair competition to female athletes.
