USA Swimming official Cynthia Millen has resigned in protest over the participation of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in women’s competitions, saying in the resignation letter she can’t back a sport that allows “biological men to compete against women.”
The resignation letter to USA Swimming indicates that Millen, who has been involved in the sport for some 30 years, resigned on Dec. 17.
“I told my fellow officials that I can no longer participate in a sport which allows biological men to compete against women,” Millen wrote in the resignation letter, Swimming World reported.
“Everything fair about swimming is being destroyed,” Millen’s letter continued. “If Lia came on my deck as a referee, I would pull the coach aside and say, ‘Lia can swim, but Lia can swim exhibition or a time trial. Lia cannot compete against those women because that’s not fair.’”
USA Swimming did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.
Thomas, a 22-year-old University of Pennsylvania women’s swim team member who recently broke three women’s records in freestyle swimming, could be a women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title contender in a few months.
“Lia Thomas had another strong day in the pool for the Red and Blue,” Penn athletics wrote on their website on Dec. 3. “During the prelims, she set a new pool and meet record in the 500 free. In the finals she swam more than 12 seconds faster, finishing in first place with a time of 4:34.06. That time is currently the best in the country in the event.”
Formerly a member of the men’s swimming program, Thomas underwent hormone suppression and is in line with NCAA rules that allow the athlete to compete on the women’s team, according to Swimming World.
Thomas submitted hormone tests and doctor’s medical notes to the NCAA and “they approved everything,” the athlete said in a Dec. 9 interview on the SwimSwam podcast. Thomas continues to take estrogen and a testosterone blocker and has “experienced a lot of muscle loss and strength loss.”
By Tom Ozimek
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