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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 8: Lia Thomas of the Pennsylvania Quakers after competing in a freestyle event during a tri-meet against the Yale Bulldogs and the Dartmouth Big Green at Sheerr Pool on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania on January 8, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 8: Lia Thomas of the Pennsylvania Quakers after competing in a freestyle event during a tri-meet against the Yale Bulldogs and the Dartmouth Big Green at Sheerr Pool on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania on January 8, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
The NCAA tournament saw Lia Thomas becoming the first-ever transgender woman to win the 500-yard freestyle competition. This caused a lot of stir within the swimming fraternity. Many fans and athletes have voiced their concerns about allowing her to compete in the event. And the latest entrant to that list is former NBA player Stephen Jackson.
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Jackson spoke about the problems related to Thomas’ inclusion in the swimming competitions.
Stephen Jackson goes off on Lia Thomas
Back in 2019, Thomas decided to change his sex and then started competing in the women’s division from 2020. The recent NCAA tournament saw her win the 500-yard freestyle race. Many athletes have spoken about the advantages she had in the men’s division. Moreover, Jackson spoke about the current scenario and his take on the situation.
READ MORE- Lia Thomas Achieves Spots in All-American List for 2021–22 Season Despite Backlash
“You got this white dude who is scared to compete against a man and knew he was not better than a man, so he got a sex change just so he can be at the top. And so he can be the best in the world, but he wasn’t better than no man. We are not going to have our young women of all races work hard their whole life at a sport. Put all this time to be great, win a medal and be at the top, to be the best at their sport. All the work they put in to get to the top, and all of a sudden, they have to compete with a woman that had a sex change and is really a man,” said Thomas.
Rule changes
He also stressed rule changes to ensure fair competition for all athletes. During the 500-yard freestyle competition, Thomas clocked a time of 4:33.24 while the second-placed Emma Weyant finished 1.75 seconds behind him. This time was a season’s best and eight seconds off from Katie Ledecky’s record.
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 17: Lia Thomas looks on after winning the Women’s 500 Yard Freestyle during the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship at the McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology on March 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Comer/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
WATCH THIS STORY- How Far Is Controversial Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas From Breaking US Star Katie Ledecky’s NCAA Records?
To sum up, many fans have questioned the problem. Stephen Jackson is another person who talked about the inequality with the decision. Do you think Jackson is right?
Written by
Edited by
Deepakshi Chaudhary