The University of Pennsylvania has taken action to comply with a resolution agreement after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education found the school violated Title IX due to the participation of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in women’s competitions. While the university’s website was updated to remove Thomas’ name from certain records, it still acknowledges her achievements with a note on NCAA eligibility rules at the time.
Thomas, who became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title, set program records during the 2021-22 season, including a national title in the 500 freestyle race. The decision to retain Thomas’ records, while removing her name, reflects the complexities of reconciling legal compliance with acknowledgment of historical achievements.
The resolution came after the Education Department’s investigation concluded that UPenn violated Title IX, leading to the restoration of records for affected athletes like Anna Kalandadze, Kayla Fu, and Virginia Burns. The university’s statement acknowledged the impact of past policies and committed to addressing the concerns of impacted athletes.