Virginia Tech's Gyorgy says NCAA finals spot stolen by transgender swimmer Thomas
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Publishing date:Mar 21, 2022 • 11 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
Reka Gyorgy wrote a letter to the NCAA saying that although she is convinced Lia Thomas is "no difference than me or any other D1 swimmer" who was striving to be the best in her field, allowing her to compete is "disrespectful" to biologically female swimmers.
Reka Gyorgy wrote a letter to the NCAA saying that although she is convinced Lia Thomas is "no difference than me or any other D1 swimmer" who was striving to be the best in her field, allowing her to compete is "disrespectful" to biologically female swimmers. PHOTO BY SCREENGRAB /Virginia Tech
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A Virginia Tech swimmer who is also an Olympian for Hungary says her spot in the NCAA finals was stolen by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
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Reka Gyorgy wrote a letter to the NCAA saying that although she is convinced Thomas is “no difference than me or any other D1 swimmer” who was striving to be the best in her field, allowing her to compete is “disrespectful” to biologically female swimmers, according to the Daily Mail.
Gyorgy wrote: “I swam the 500 free at NCAA’s on March 17th 2022 where I got 17th which means I didn’t make it back to the finals and was first alternative. I’m a 5th year senior, I have been top 16 and top 8 before and I know how much of a privilege it is to make finals at a meet this big.
“This is my last college meet ever and I feel frustrated. It feels like that final spot was taken away from me because of the NCAA’s decision to let someone who is not a biological female compete. I know you could say I had the opportunity to swim faster and make the top 16, but this situation makes it a bit different and I can’t help but be angry or sad,” she wrote.
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“It hurts me, my team and the other women in the pol. One spot was taken away from the girl who got 9th in the 500 free and didn’t make it back to the A final preventing her from being all American.
“Every event that transgender athletes competed in was one spot away from biological females throughout the meet.”
Gyorgy isn’t against Thomas and respects her, but doesn’t believe they should be in the same competitions.
Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, finishes the 200-yard freestyle for the University of Pennsylvania at an Ivy League swim meet against Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on January 22, 2022. AFP via Getty Images
Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, finishes the 200-yard freestyle for the University of Pennsylvania at an Ivy League swim meet against Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on January 22, 2022. AFP via Getty Images PHOTO BY JOSEPH PREZIOSO /AFP via Getty Images
“She is doing what she is passionate about and deserves that right. On the other hand, I would like to critique the NCAA rules that allow her to compete against us, who are biologically women.”
Thomas, competing on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania, finished first in Thursday’s competition, qualifying her to compete in the women’s championships where she finished in eighth place in the 100-yard freestyle race.
Reka Gyorgy claims her spot in the NCAA finals was stolen due to Lia Thomas being permitted to compete in the division. She has called on the sport authority to revise its transgender rules.
dailymail.co.uk
Virginia Tech's Gyorgy says NCAA finals spot stolen by transgender swimmer Thomas
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