Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has denounced Lia Thomas‘ NCAA Championship in the 500-meter women’s freestyle championship event.
DeSantis signed a proclamation on Tuesday declaring the event’s runner up, University of Virginia swimmer Emma Weyant, the “rightful winner.”
Weyant finished second, behind Thomas, in the 500-meter women’s freestyle championship event last weekend. Thomas, meanwhile, became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I championship in any sport.
In his proclamation, DeSantis declared Weyant to be the actual Division I champion.
By allowing men to compete in women’s sports, the NCAA is destroying opportunities for women, making a mockery of its championships, and perpetuating a fraud.
In Florida, we reject these lies and recognize Sarasota’s Emma Weyant as the best women’s swimmer in the 500y freestyle. pic.twitter.com/tBmFxFE3q6
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 22, 2022
Thomas, a transgender woman who competes for the Penn swim team, has largely dominated the sport. However, she only took home first in the 500-meter women’s freestyle last weekend.
Thomas has since wrapped up her NCAA career and will now move on. It’s unclear what her future looks like.
Gov. DeSantis’ proclamation, meanwhile, is bound to receive both support and backlash in the coming days.
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