Lia Thomas' Former Teammates React to UPenn Federal Funding Pause Amid Trump's Title IX Enforcement Pledge

Donald Trump's administration has taken a decisive stand on the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports, and the ripple effects are being felt far and wide. Following a pause on $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) due to its policies on transgender athletes, several women linked to the controversy have spoken up—and they aren't holding back.

Three former teammates of Lia Thomas, the transgender swimmer who made waves as part of the UPenn women’s swimming team, issued a joint statement praising the funding suspension. Grace Estabrook, Margot Kaczorowski, and Ellen Holmquist, speaking through the Independent Council for Women's Sports (ICONS), expressed their relief, saying, "We are so glad that universities are beginning to see that there is a cost to openly harming female students on their campuses, and we hope the pressure only increases."

Their statement accused UPenn and other institutions of violating federal laws, jeopardizing the safety and rights of female athletes, and ignoring Title IX protections. Their frustration was palpable as they listed grievances, from stolen opportunities and awards to allegations of physical danger and harassment.

UPenn, for its part, responded cautiously. A university spokesperson stated that they had not received any "official notification" of the funding pause and emphasized that UPenn complies with NCAA and Ivy League policies. "Penn has always followed NCAA and Ivy League policies regarding student participation on athletic teams," the spokesperson said, adding, "We remain today in full compliance with the regulations that apply."

The controversy surrounding Thomas is not new. The former swimmer, who competed on UPenn’s men’s team from 2017 to 2020, switched to the women’s team in 2021 and broke multiple records at the 2022 Ivy League Championships. However, this success has been met with backlash, including a lawsuit from former teammates. The suit seeks to rescind Thomas’ accolades and accuses UPenn and the NCAA of pushing a "pro-trans ideology" while disregarding the concerns of female athletes.

Documents from the lawsuit detail how the women's team was allegedly told to accept Thomas' participation without question, with administrators suggesting counseling for those who struggled with the decision. The swimming coach initially promised that Thomas would not share a locker room with the women, but that policy reportedly changed in 2021, leaving teammates feeling blindsided.

One particularly striking claim came from Margot Kaczorowski, who said she learned of the locker room arrangement only when she encountered Thomas changing clothes in the women’s space. The plaintiffs argue that such policies not only violated their rights but also led to a climate where dissenting opinions were framed as psychological problems requiring counseling.

The Department of Education launched an investigation into potential Title IX violations at UPenn in February, and the funding suspension appears to be one of the first tangible outcomes of that probe. As the debate over transgender athletes' participation continues to polarize, one thing is clear: this controversy isn't going away anytime soon.