Transgender athlete Evie Parts files a lawsuit against the NCAA and Swarthmore College for their decision to remove her from the university's track team.
In the fall of 2020, Evie Parts joined the Swarthmore track team, marking the start of her athletic journey at the Division III college. However, after a successful four-season run, she took a break from the team during the winter and spring seasons of 2021 and 2022. She returned to the team in 2023 to compete in the indoor and outdoor track seasons, as well as cross country.
However, Parts' return was marred by controversy when the NCAA issued a policy restricting participation in women's sports to athletes assigned female at birth. This policy change, which aligns closely with President Trump's executive order signed on February 5, 2025, represents a significant reversal from the NCAA's prior approach that allowed participation based on gender identity.
The NCAA's current policy defines “woman” by gender identity but limits eligibility based on birth-assigned sex as recorded on official documents. This policy has been criticised for having loopholes, such as the potential for birth record inaccuracies or misclassifications that might allow some males to compete in women’s sports.
Following the NCAA's policy change, Parts was told by Christina Epps-Chiazor and Valerie Gomez, Swarthmore athletic department members, that she could compete with the men's team or as an unattached athlete. She would only receive medical treatment, the complaint says, if she competed on the men's team.
As a result, Parts sued the NCAA, Swarthmore College, and several athletic department members for illegally removing her from the track team due to her transgender status. The lawsuit alleges that the named individuals sent Parts into a depressive state, causing her to engage in self-harm and express thoughts of suicide.
Despite the legal proceedings, the NCAA and Swarthmore College did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit. On April 11, Swarthmore "fully reinstated" Parts, allowing her to compete on the women's team until her graduation in May. However, she faced restrictions such as not being coached by the team, not traveling with them, not receiving per diem or food, having to pay for meets, and not being able to wear a Swarthmore uniform.
The Pennsylvania state Senate approved a bill to ban transgender athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports at the collegiate and K-12 levels by a 32-18 margin on May 6. Despite the Senate's approval, the state's Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is not expected to vote on the bill.
Susie Cirilli, an attorney representing Parts, stated that the NCAA is a private organization that issued a bigoted policy, and Swarthmore College chose to follow that policy and disregard federal and state law. During her competition, Parts won the 10,000 meters in April at the Bill Butler Invitational.
The ongoing legal and political complexity surrounding transgender participation in sports is a hot topic, with several states passing or considering laws that either support or oppose transgender participation rights in sports at K-12 and collegiate levels. This raises uncertainty about future federal versus state authority and how the NCAA and other organizations must adapt. Court challenges are pending and gaining attention at the U.S. Supreme Court, which will hear cases testing the constitutionality of state laws mandating sports participation based on sex at birth.
References:
- NCAA's Transgender Participation Policy
- The NCAA's Transgender Policy and Legal Challenges
- State Laws on Transgender Participation in Sports
- Federal Mandates on Transgender Participation in Sports
- Executive Order on Promoting Women's Sports
- The NCAA's policy regulating transgender participation in sports has been a subject of debate, with the policy change in 2025 causing controversy.
- In response to the NCAA's policy, Evie Parts, a Swarthmore athlete, sued the NCAA, Swarthmore College, and athletic department members for illegally removing her from the track team due to her transgender status.
- The Pennsylvania state Senate approved a bill that bans transgender athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports at the collegiate and K-12 levels, mirroring the NCAA's policy.
- Despite the legal and political complexities, Parts continued to excel in her sport, winning the 10,000 meters in April at the Bill Butler Invitational.
