Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is wading into the controversy of Transgender swimmer Lia Thomasâ first-place finish in a womenâs 500-yard freestyle event.
In a tweet Tuesday, DeSantis wrote, âBy allowing men to compete in womenâs Sports, the NCAA is destroying opportunities for women, making a mockery of its championships, and perpetuating a fraud.â
âIn Florida, we reject these lies and recognize Sarasotaâs Emma Weyant as the best womenâs swimmer in the 500y freestyle,â he added.
During an event on Tuesday, he said, âIf you look at what the NCAA has done in allowing basically men to compete in womenâs athletics. And in this case the swimming, you had the number one woman who finished was from Sarasota, Emma Weyant. She won the silver medal, sheâs been an absolute superstar her whole career.â
âTo compete at that level is very, very difficult. And you donât just roll out of bed and do it. That takes grit. That takes determination. And sheâs been an absolute superstar, and she had the fastest time of any woman in college athletics,â he continued.
Finally, the governor added, âNow the NCAA is basically taking efforts to destroy womenâs athletics. Theyâre trying to undermine the integrity of the competition, crowning somebody else the womenâs champion, and we think thatâs wrong.â
Emma Weyant came in second place after Thomas in the NCAA Womenâs Swimming Championship 500 yard freestyle event last week.
Thomasâ first place finished marked the first time a Transgender athlete won a Division I national championship.
However, several social media users argued that Weyant should be recognized as the winner.
Parents of other competitors in the event also voiced their disapproval of the outcome. One swimmerâs father told Fox News, âItâs taking opportunity away from females that have worked very, very hard for a long, long time, even before college, to get in this position. Itâs just not right.â
DeSantis also signed a proclamation naming Weyant the winner.
