Swarthmore responds to lawsuit over reinstating trans athlete to women’s team after NCAA rule change

SWARTHMORE, PENNSYLVANIA: Swarthmore College issued a response to a lawsuit filed by transgender track and field athlete Evelyn “Evie” Parts, who claims the school mishandled her participation on the women’s team after the NCAA revised its gender eligibility rules earlier this year.

Parts, who graduated in May, alleges that Swarthmore initially removed her from the women’s track team in February following the rule change, but later reinstated her despite the updated regulations and President Donald Trump’s executive order prohibiting biological males from competing in women’s sports.

Swarthmore College responds to legal action

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Swarthmore emphasized its commitment to transgender students while acknowledging the ongoing legal battle. “Swarthmore deeply values our transgender community members and the many ways they enrich campus life. We offer numerous resources to create a welcoming, supportive and inclusive environment for transgender individuals. We recognize that this is an especially difficult and painful time for members of the transgender community, including student-athletes.”

The college added that it attempted to support Parts “in a time of rapidly evolving guidance” while ensuring other members of the women’s team could remain eligible for NCAA competition.

“We worked to support Evie Parts in a time of rapidly evolving guidance, while balancing the ability for other members of the women’s track team to compete in NCAA events. Given the pending litigation, we will not comment any further,” the statement said.

Trans athlete says Swarthmore mishandled eligibility after NCAA revised rules

Parts’ lawsuit contends that the college informed her in February that she was no longer eligible to compete on the women’s team. However, the complaint states she was “fully reinstated” on April 11, just two months later, and allowed to participate in multiple events, including the Bill Butler Invitational, the Paul Donahue Invite, and the Centennial Championships. Records on Swarthmore’s athletics website list Parts as the winner of the women’s 10,000 meters at the Butler Invitational in April.

Parts’ attorney, Susie Cirilli, criticized both Swarthmore and the NCAA in a statement. “We stand by the allegations in the complaint. As stated in the complaint, the NCAA is a private organization that issued a bigoted policy. Swarthmore chose to follow that policy and disregard federal and state law,” she said.

Swarthmore is not the first institution accused of permitting transgender athletes to compete despite the NCAA’s new restrictions. In March, Ithaca College allowed a transgender athlete to row in a Division III event, though the school later described the participation as a “misunderstanding” by its coaching staff.

The NCAA reiterated that no waivers are available under the updated rules and that any team including a transgender athlete assigned male at birth would be classified as mixed-gender and ineligible to compete against women’s teams.

The controversy comes amid a nationwide wave of litigation over transgender athletes in collegiate sports. Several lawsuits have been filed against universities and the NCAA, led in part by former women’s athletes such as Riley Gaines. The Department of Education, under Trump’s administration, has already intervened in several cases, reaching settlements with schools including the University of Pennsylvania and Wagner College, requiring them to remove transgender athletes’ records and issue formal apologies to affected female athletes. Investigations remain ongoing at institutions such as San Jose State.

Internet reacts as Swarthmore sued for allegedly placing trans runner back on women's team

The internet erupted after reports that Swarthmore College is facing a lawsuit for allegedly reinstating a transgender athlete to the women’s track team following an NCAA eligibility rule update.

Reactions online were sharp. One wrote, “So the college is gonna let the courts decide the lawsuit pushed by the feds, rather than stand up for what is right.”

Another stated, “Since Parts ‘is a man,’ he can still play on the men’s team, regardless if he pretends to be a female.”

Others pointed to the legal implications. “Let these men sue, claiming they have a right to play in women's sports. I hope it goes to the Supreme Court. I am fairly certain it won't go the way their delusions think it will,” one commenter said.

Another added, “Well, the sooner the Supreme Court gets involved the better. At least six of the justices at least know what a man is and a woman is. And there is no in between.”

Some users were more blunt in their critique, with one writing, “If you’re not good enough to compete in the sport of your gender, you get better, pick a new category, or you become a fan. There’s no switching sides to get medals.”    

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.