UPenn Removes Lia Thomas Swim Records After Title IX Ruling, But Leaves Controversial Footnote

In a headline-grabbing move prompted by a federal Title IX investigation, the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) has removed transgender swimmer Lia Thomas from several official women’s swimming records. However, the university’s update comes with a caveat that’s drawing scrutiny.

This week, UPenn complied with a resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which found that the university had violated Title IX during the 2021-22 swimming season by allowing a male-born athlete to compete in female categories without sufficient safeguards.

The result: the university officially restored records and titles to cisgender female swimmers whose achievements were previously eclipsed during Lia Thomas’s historic season, including Anna Kalandadze, Kayla Fu, and Virginia Burns.

Records Restored, Footnote Remains

While the records page on UPenn’s official website was updated to reflect the rightful record-holders over Title IX, Lia Thomas’ swim records with her name haven’t been completely erased. Instead, a note now accompanies the updated stats:

“NOTE: Competing under eligibility rules in effect at the time, Lia Thomas set program records in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle during the 2021-22 season.”

This minor but deliberate annotation has sparked debate among advocates for women’s sports, who see it as a way of retaining Lia Thomas’ legacy despite a federal finding that her participation disadvantaged biological women.

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Title IX Violation and Federal Fallout

The case has profound political and legal implications. The Department of Education launched its investigation in February, citing concerns that UPenn’s compliance with NCAA rules at the time still failed to protect the rights of female athletes. The Trump administration later froze $175 million in federal funding to UPenn in March, citing non-compliance with an executive order.

On April 28, the Office of Civil Rights concluded that UPenn’s policies did indeed violate Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational programs.

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As part of the settlement, UPenn issued formal apologies to the affected athletes and acknowledged the emotional toll the situation caused.

Apologies, But No Full Erasure

UPenn President J. Larry Jameson issued a statement acknowledging the university’s past errors: “We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time.”

However, the decision to leave a footnote about Lia Thomas on the updated records has sparked backlash. Critics argue it continues to validate an era many believe undermined fairness in women’s sports.

What’s Next for Women’s Athletics?

Experts say this resolution could have a ripple effect across the NCAA and other institutions, forcing a reckoning on how transgender inclusion is handled going forward. Some legal analysts warn that an EU-style framework for fairness and data transparency may soon be demanded across U.S. collegiate sports.

For now, Lia Thomas, a transgender woman in sports, remains in the history books—if only in a footnote. But the fight for the future of women’s sports is far from over.

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