UPenn swimmer accuses trans teammate Lia Thomas’ of plot to LOSE against transgender Yale swimmer

A UPenn swimmer is accusing her trans teammate Lia Thomas’ of plotting to lose against transgender Yale swimmer in relay heat ‘to prove that a woman can beat her.’ 

A  biological female member of The University of Pennsylvania women’s swimming team told Outkick.com that she believes her teammate, Lia Thomas, 22, colluded with Yale transgender swimmer Iszac Henig, who’s transitioning from female to male, during a 100-freestyle race on January 8. 

Henig, a 20-year-old California native, defeated Thomas in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing with a time of 49.57, more than three seconds ahead of Thomas, who finished sixth with a time of 52.84. 

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Lia Thomas, pictured in lane two (far right), came fifth in the 100 yard freestyle, while Iszac Henig, pictured in lane four (center), won the race

A member of the UPenn swimming team says that she believes Lia Thomas, 22, (pictured) colluded with Yale transgender swimmer Iszac Henig during a 100 freestyle race 

The teammate says she is convinced believes Thomas and Henig (pictured) came up with their plan before the Penn home tri-meet with Yale and Dartmouth 

The teammate, who remained anonymous to avoid threats from the university, and activists, said she believes Thomas and Henig came up with their plan before the Penn home tri-meet with Yale and Dartmouth earlier this month. 

‘Looking at (Lia’s) time, I don’t think she was trying,’ she told Outkick. ‘I know they’re friends and I know they were talking before the meet. I think she let her win to prove the point that, ”Oh see, a female-to-male beat me.”

When asked if she thought that Thomas threw the meet, the teammate said she was convinced.  ‘I do. I can’t say for sure, but I wouldn’t be shocked if I found out that was 100% true,’ Thomas’ she said.  

The anonymous teammate also accused Thomas of not trying her best during the  200-yard freestyle, where she finished in 1.48.73, with her closest competitor just two seconds behind her. 

Henig told the New York Times in July that he was not taking hormones because he still wanted to compete

Thomas came out as transgender in 2019 and under NCAA rules was eligible to switch from the men’s team to the women’s after taking a year of testosterone suppressants

‘I was on deck and said to a friend, “She’s literally not trying.” You could just tell,’ she told OutKick. ‘It was blatantly obvious. I was watching the 200 free and she was literally keeping pace with the other girls.’

‘She was No. 1 in the country at one point. These are definitely talented swimmers, but they’re not the caliber of being at the top in the country or anything like that,’ the teammate continued. 

‘You can tell when someone is dying and they’re swimming slow,” the swimmer added. “You can also tell when someone is not trying and I could see (in the 200 freestyle) that Lia was not trying,’ she added. 

The teammate also told Outkick that the team’s trip to Stuart, Florida to train for their final NCAA home meet required two private security guards, a man and a woman who were described as likely being ex-SWAT. 

The traveling party received special instructions by the school to avoid wearing Penn gear in order to steer clear of possible confrontation with people who may be following the Thomas story.

The teammates were forced to cover up the Penn logo with duct tape, except for Thomas, the reason they had to take the precaution in the first place.

‘It was crazy. People were wearing shirts with Duct Tape on them and had bags duct-taped while Lia was wearing gear with big letters,’ the frustrated teammate told OutKick. 

Henig, (pictured) who is transitioning from female to male, also finished first in the earlier 50-yard freestyle, smashing records

Lia Thomas was crushed in the 100-meter freestyle, finishing fifth – after being beaten by another transgender swimmer, Iszac Henig (left) who is transitioning from female to male

Thomas, 22, (pictured) competed on the UPenn men’s team for three years before transitioning and joining the women’s team this year, sparking controversy after shattering 

Lia Thomas, 22, (pictured after transitioning) is now dominating women’s college swimming records

Henig, a 20-year-old California native, competed in three events at the meet with Yale, Dartmouth and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, winning all three – including two head-to-head showdowns with Thomas. 

Henig has been a member of Yale’s women’s team for three years and decided to delay taking hormones for his transition, making him eligible to remain on the squad. He came out to coaches and teammates in April 2021.

‘As a student athlete, coming out as a trans guy put me in a weird position. I could start hormones to align more with myself, or wait, transition socially, and keep competing on a women’s swim team. I decided on the latter,’ he wrote in an opinion piece published in the New York Times in July.

‘I value my contributions to the team and recognize that my boyhood doesn’t hinge on whether there’s more or less testosterone running through my veins. At least, that’s what I’ll try to remember when I put on the women’s swimsuit for the competition and am reminded of a self I no longer feel attached to.’     

Thomas, 22,  had competed on the UPenn men’s team for three years before transitioning and joining the women’s team this year, sparking controversy after she shattered longstanding records. 

Thomas, who previously spent three years competing as a man, smashed two US records while competing at a weekend contest, sparking fresh claims of unfairness.

Last month, Thomas put in an astounding performance at the Zippy Invitational Event in Akron, Ohio, that saw her finish the 1,650-yard freestyle 38 seconds ahead of her teammate Anna Sofia Kalandaze.

Thomas’s winning time was 15:59:71, with her UPenn teammate Anna Kalandaze coming second with a time of 16:37:44.

Thomas’s win was a record for the Zippy Meet, and the pool where the event took place. But she also managed to smash two US women’s swimming records during earlier races at the same event.

The first US record was broken on Friday, December 3, when Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:34:06. She raced to victory 14 seconds ahead of Kalandaze – the swimmer she beat by 38 seconds on Sunday.

And then earlier this month she won the 200 yard freestyle in 1:41:93 – seven seconds ahead of her nearest rival, giving her the fastest female US time ever for that race too.

It’s the first season Thomas, who was formerly named Will, has competed in the swimming meets as a transgender woman. As Will, Thomas competed on the men’s team for two full seasons.

In a less dominent display than in Ohio, Thomas swam slightly behind her closest competitor for most of the race in the 200-yard freestyle, before pulling ahead at the end in the final heat. In the first heat, she finished about five second ahead of her closest competitor

Stunned parents gasped as Yale swimmer, Iszac Henig, easily beat out his opponents in the women’s 100-meter freestyle, with a time of 49.57 seconds. Thomas, who finished fifth, finished with a time of 52.84 seconds

Thomas’ success has put the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s rules on transgender athletes back in the forefront and they recently announced they will let the national governing bodies of each sport dictate who can compete.

Under the new guidelines, approved by the NCAA Board of Governors on Wednesday, transgender participation for each sport will be determined by the policy for the sport’s national governing body, subject to review and recommendation by an NCAA committee to the Board of Governors. 

The new NCAA policy, released earlier this week ahead of Thursday’s official meeting of the NCAA Board of Governors, states that when there is no national governing body, that sport’s international federation policy would be in place.

If there is no international federation policy, previously established IOC policy criteria would take over.

The NCAA’s previous policy, adopted in 2010, was uniform across all sports and was based on hormone therapy requirements.  

‘Approximately 80 percent of US Olympians are either current or former college athletes,’ NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a release.

‘This policy alignment provides consistency and further strengthens the relationship between college sports and the US Olympics.’

The NCAA policy is effective immediately, beginning with the 2022 winter championships.

The Board of Governors is suggesting NCAA divisions allow for additional eligibility if a transgender student-athlete loses eligibility based on the policy change.

That flexibility is provided they meet the NCAA’s new guidelines.

‘We are steadfast in our support of transgender student-athletes and the fostering of fairness across college sports,’ Georgetown President John DeGioia said in a release.

‘It is important that NCAA member schools, conferences and college athletes compete in an inclusive, fair, safe and respectful environment and can move forward with a clear understanding of the new policy.’

Meanwhile, Caitlyn Jenner has called on the NCAA to immediately stop transgender athletes like University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas from competing against their biological counterparts.

Jenner, 72, said Wednesday there was no doubt in her mind that the rules need to be changed – ahead of Thursday’s meeting by the NCAA Board of Governors where they are expected to review rules on transgender athletes.

‘All of this woke world that we are living in right now is not working,’ said Jenner, who won a gold medal as Bruce in the men’s decathlon at the 1976 Montreal Olympics before transitioning to female in 2015.

‘I feel sorry for the other athletes that are out there, especially at Penn or anybody she’s competing against, because in the woke world, you’ve got to say, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is great,’ No, it’s not.’

Writing on Twitter, Jenner stated explicitly ‘biological boys should not compete against biological boys.

She then went on Fox News and said: ‘We need to protect women’s sports, and the NCAA needs to make the right decision tomorrow, and I think that’s probably to stop this right now, rethink it.’