Sports Legend Wants Asterisk Next To Lia Thomas’ Name

CNN has dubbed Lia Thomas “the face of the debate on transgender women in sports” amid Thomas’ dominance in women’s swimming. For one sports legend, Thomas’ success deserves an asterisk next to her accomplishments.

In a recent interview, former tennis superstar Martina Navratilova suggested that the NCAA put an asterisk next to Thomas’ records. Navratilova acknowledged that NCAA rules are what they are for the moment. But she says she is not against transgender women ever winning anything.

“But right now, the rules are what they are. Maybe put an asterisk there, if she starts breaking records left and right,” Navratilova said, via the New York Post.

Navratilova added an idea that she thinks may settle the ongoing controversy over transgender athletes in sports. She suggested that the NCAA create an “open” category of athletes who identify as women but cannot compete against cisgender women.

Earlier this month, Lia Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship. Thomas won the women’s 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24 – beating second-place Emma Weyant, an Olympic silver medalist, by just under two seconds.

The win took place under heavy protest from those opposed to transgender athletes participating in sports.

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is two years away and Thomas is expected to participate in the qualifying.

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