The time for apologies is overdue. ESPN vaulted the deeply contentious figure of Lia Thomas into the limelight, celebrating a man competing in women’s sports. Now, with the University of Pennsylvania vacating Thomas’ dubious records and admitting its mistake, the question remains: will ESPN own up and retract its misguided honor?
In March 2023, ESPN hailed Thomas as part of its “Women’s History Month” tribute, ignoring the blatant reality that a male athlete was taking the spotlight away from genuine female competitors. This move was not just tone-deaf—it was an affront to the integrity of women’s sports.
In a hastily crafted video segment, Thomas proclaimed, “I transitioned to be happy.” Yet this rhetoric does nothing to assuage the outrage of countless female athletes who’ve worked tirelessly for their achievements and have been overshadowed by this farce.
The controversy began in 2022, as Thomas transitioned from an unsuccessful male swimmer to a dominant presence on the UPenn women’s team, racking up an impressive string of wins against female athletes. For far too long, this unjust landscape was condoned, leaving a bitter taste of injustice in the mouths of true female athletes.
Recently, however, UPenn has taken a definitive stand, agreeing to rectify its Title IX violations that permitted Thomas to compete as a woman. This is a direct result of President Trump’s bold changes to Title IX, aimed at protecting the sanctity of women’s sports.
This week, the U.S. Department of Education revealed that UPenn is now bound by a “Resolution Agreement” ensuring compliance with Title IX. It will reinstate records and accolades wrongfully attributed to Thomas and issue personalized apologies to the female athletes affected by this egregious oversight.
ESPN now sits at a crossroads. With UPenn retracting its endorsement of Thomas, will the network issue a public apology for its role in this travesty? It’s time for ESPN to restore integrity to women’s sports and align itself with the champions who truly deserve recognition.
