Former NCAA National Champion and nine-time world record holder Lia Thomas has announced her retirement from professional swimming, citing a lack of acceptance from teams. “Nobody wants me on their team,” Thomas reportedly stated, attributing this rejection to what she perceives as transphobia and bigotry within the swimming community.
Thomas has undeniably left a significant impact on women’s competitive swimming since transitioning from male to female just before a new season. Over the course of two years, she dominated the sport, securing seven national titles and breaking nine world records.
Riley Gaines, who missed out on her chance to podium due to Thomas’s success, expressed frustration, saying, “He won seven national titles and broke nine world records… And he exposed himself in the women’s locker room, which was just horrible.”
However, ALLOD Sportsball Analyst Tara Newhole cautions that the accuracy of the information in the preceding paragraphs is uncertain. “There’s a good chance that some or all of the facts in the first four paragraphs of our story are completely false,” Newhole commented. “Sometimes we write what we hope and pray rather than what actually happened.”
Newhole highlighted that Lia Thomas wasn’t a dominant force in swimming, having only won in one event and never nearing a world record. “Riley is being melodramatic,” Newhole remarked. “She tied for 5th place. Whether or not Thomas was there, she wouldn’t be on any podium. Thomas’s presence in photos is the only reason anyone knows her.”
Indeed, Thomas has moved on, while Gaines continues to dwell on an issue that impacts very few. God bless America.