NewYou can listen to Fox News articles now!
The University of Pennsylvania took swift action Tuesday to comply with a resolution agreement reached by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, after an investigation found that Upenn violated Chapter IX in the 2021-22 season due to the inclusion of trans swimmer Lia Thomas.
As part of the resolution, Upenn agreed to restore female athletes who were “allowed to compete in the female category”.
Pennsylvania trans swimmer Lia Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle and won the 500-yard freestyle with other medal winners, from left to right, Emma Weyant, Emma Weyant, Erica Sullivan and Erica Sullivan and Brooke Forde Pose took a photo on March 17, 2022, on March 17, on March 17, 2022, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17, on March 17. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
But while the university's website has been updated to remove Thomas' name from three records set by former swimmers of the season, the website still acknowledges Thomas' records with notes on the NCAA's eligibility rules at the time.
Click here for more sports coverage on FoxNews
“Note: Under the then-effective qualification rules, Lia Thomas set the planning records in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyles for the 2021-22 season.”
Thomas became the first openly trans athlete to win the NCAA Level I championship. During the competition, Thomas set several personal records, including the 500-yard freestyle competition, which won the national championship.
According to Upenn's website, Anna Kalandadze's record of 4:37.21 in 500 Free in 2024 is restored to a new record. Upenn's freshman Kayla Fu restored the new record for 2025 at 100 Free.
Trans-sex athlete Lia Thomas won the Women’s 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA I Division Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Macaulay Aquatic Center on the Georgia Technical College campus in Atlanta on March 17, 2022. (Photo by Mike Comer/NCAA via Getty Images)
SEC McMahon reveals the historic Upenn Title IX protocol and the next step in fighting to save women's movement
In addition, former UPENN swimmer Virginia Burns set 200 free records in 2017 at 1:45.51, and her record returned to its highest period.
The Ministry of Education previously investigated Upenn on February 6. The Trump administration then froze $175 million in funds on March 20 for failing to comply with executive orders. Then, on April 28, the Ministry of Education’s Civil Rights Office announced the investigation that Upenn did violate Title IX when dealing with Thomas’s situation.
Upenn agreed to restore records due to this week's resolution agreement and apologize to female athletes affected by the violations.
Lia Thomas of Pennsylvania cheered his teammates to compete in the 1650-yard freestyle final at the Ivy League Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Mary Schwarm)
Click here to get the Fox News app
“While Pennsylvania's policies in the Pennsylvania swimming season are in line with the NCAA eligibility rules of the time, we acknowledge that these rules put some student-athletes at a disadvantage,” Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson said in a statement released Tuesday.
“We recognize this and apologize to those who have experienced adverse competition or experienced anxiety because the policy was in effect at the time.”
Follow Fox News Numbers Sports Reports on Xand subscribe Fox News Sports Grocery Newsletter.
