The University of Pennsylvania’s decision to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports marks a significant juncture in the ongoing national discussion on fairness and inclusivity in sports.
At a Glance
- The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to prohibit transgender athletes who have gone through male puberty from competing on its women’s sports teams.
- The decision is part of a resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education under the Trump administration.
- As part of the settlement, the university will strip the records and titles won by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
- Penn must also send formal apology letters to the female athletes who were on the swim team with Thomas.
A Landmark Victory for Women’s Sports
In a landmark decision for collegiate sports, the University of Pennsylvania has agreed to ban biological males from competing on its women’s athletic teams. The new policy is part of a resolution agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Education following a federal investigation into the school’s adherence to Title IX, the law that protects against sex-based discrimination.
The investigation was spurred by the controversial case of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who competed on the Penn women’s swim team during the 2021-2022 season, breaking records and winning an NCAA championship.
Rectifying a “Past Harm”
The resolution agreement includes several unprecedented measures designed to rectify what the Department of Education called “past harms against women and girls.” As reported by USA Today, Penn has agreed to:
- Vacate all of Lia Thomas’s records and titles from her time on the women’s team.
- Restore those records and titles to the female athletes who finished behind Thomas.
- Send formal letters of apology to the female swimmers who were teammates of Thomas.
The “Trump Effect” on Title IX
The move is being hailed as a major victory for the Trump administration’s efforts to enforce its interpretation of Title IX. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the University for future generations of female athletes,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement.
UPenn's female athletes had their freedoms trampled by the school's insistence that a man could become a woman. Kudos to @EDSecMcMahon for ensuring women like @PaulaYScanlan receive a long-overdue apology. https://t.co/zlOgre2Vwz
— Defense of Freedom Institute (@DFIPolicy) July 1, 2025
She added that the department will “continue to fight relentlessly to restore Title IX’s proper application and enforce it to the fullest extent of the law.”
In its own statement, the university acknowledged the impact of its previous policy. “While Penn’s policies during the 2021-2022 swim season were in accordance with NCAA eligibility rules at the time, we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules,” Penn President J. Larry Jameson said, according to ESPN. The NCAA has so far not commented on the decision to strip the records.
