The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to apologise and erase transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’s records in women’s sports following a settlement with the Trump administration over alleged sex-based discrimination.

The University of Pennsylvania has issued a formal apology and agreed to remove records set by transgender athletes in female-only sports as part of a settlement with the Trump administration, concluding an investigation into alleged sex-based discrimination.

The case revolved around swimmer Lia Thomas, who made headlines in 2022 by becoming the first openly transgender athlete to win a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I championship. Her participation in women’s competitions sparked intense national debate regarding fairness and inclusion in female athletics.

In a statement on Tuesday, UPenn President J. Larry Jameson said the university had adhered to NCAA regulations that were in place at the time of Thomas’s competition. However, he acknowledged that the participation of transgender women in women’s sports had raised “genuine concerns” among some student-athletes and stakeholders, particularly regarding competitive fairness and sex-based eligibility.

As part of the settlement, the university has agreed to revise its athletic records to align with updated NCAA policies, which reflect the Trump-era executive orders defining eligibility for women’s sports based on biological sex. These orders, reinstated and enforced by the current administration, require institutions receiving federal funding to comply with strict sex-based definitions in athletics and educational settings.

The university also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring full compliance with all federal regulations governing women’s sports, including measures intended to prevent sex-based discrimination as interpreted under Title IX.

While advocates for transgender inclusion have criticised the move as a rollback of LGBTQ+ rights, proponents of the settlement argue it restores fairness to women’s sport and upholds the integrity of sex-based competition. The resolution marks a significant legal and cultural moment in the evolving national conversation around gender identity, sports, and civil rights.

The settlement does not prevent transgender athletes from competing under existing NCAA guidelines, but it underscores growing legal pressure on universities to reconcile inclusive policies with federal definitions of sex in education and sport.