The former opponents of Lia Thomas have detailed the “fear” and the “abuse” they found while competing against the transgender swimmer.
“There was no) escape from this nightmare,” a woman said a audience in Congress about facing Thomas, who became the first transgender athlete to win a title of Division 1 of the NCAA in 2022.
There has been a growing controversy and debate about the future of women's sports in recent years and on Thursday, a Senate Committee of the State of Georgia approved the “Law of Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities.”
The bill 'would require athletes to participate in teams that align with their biological sex at birth'. If it is transmitted to the law, Georgia would become the 26th State to introduce restrictions around the students Transgender athletes.
Thomas won the National Championship in Georgia three years ago and two former competitors testified at an audience on Thursday.
“We were all only Indian bugs for a giant social experiment formed by the NCAA about how much abuse and the shameless contempt of women would be forced to remain silent,” said former women's swimmer from the state of North Carolina, Kylee Alons , according to Fox.
The former opponents of Lia Thomas have detailed the 'fear' and the 'abuse' they found while competing against the transgender swimmer
Kylee Alons (L) and Kaitlynn Wheeler (R) talked about their experiences at an audience
According to FoxAlons said he wanted to cry and leave the event after seeing Thomas win the 500 m freestyle.
“Everything felt so bad and bad,” he said. 'I go to the costumes that day just to see Thomas and I realize that there is no escape from this nightmare, no matter where.
'I had no idea that it was going to be allowed in the Women About me changing.
According to the reports, Alons turned to change in a store of the store behind the stands, instead of going to the locker room.
The former swimmer of the University of Kentucky, Kaitlynn Wheeler, meanwhile, talked about his 'discomfort' and 'fear'.
“Young women, teenagers were forced to undress with a completely intact biological man who exposed us, while we were simultaneously completely exposed,” Wheeler said.
'They never asked us. They never gave us an option or other option. We were only expected to agree with that, to push our discomfort, our shame, our fear. Because defending for ourselves would mean being labeled as intolerant, hateful or intolerant.
Both Wheeler and Lyons joined a lawsuit against the NCAA, led by former swimmer Riley Gaines. Recently he praised Donald Trump as a “champion” for women's sport after he declared that the federal government will only recognize two sexes: men and women.