Before Leah Thomas’s notable tie with Riley Gaines at the 2022 NCAA Championship, many Ivy League female swimmers and their families witnessed her significant impact on the sport. During a regular season meet on January 8, 2022, that pitted Yale against Dartmouth, Thomas clinched victories in both the 200 and 500 freestyle events.
This competition was the first time Kim Jones, the mother of former Yale swimmer Rame Jones, saw Thomas swim live. “I can’t even describe it; it felt surreal,” Kim Jones stated. “I didn’t cry, but it was overwhelming. Watching unfold felt like something out of a Twilight Zone episode.” The moment was emotional for her family, particularly for her daughter, who had spent days preparing for the meet. “My daughter was very upset. She’s quite tall and athletic, and seeing Thomas in person, it was hard for her to process.”
For Kim, witnessing Thomas win that day didn’t just mark a competition; it represented a broader emotional toll on her family. “The girls had already been attending forced meetings in the Ivy League, feeling pressured and silenced,” Jones said. “They were told things like, ‘Don’t talk to the media. Let the decision-makers handle it.’ It felt very manipulative.”
Jones also recalled a conversation with someone from the ACLU regarding potential legal action. “I remember them saying that I could always write a letter if I disagreed with Thomas’s participation,” she reflected. “It was frustrating.” This led her to take matters into her own hands.
She began writing anonymous op-eds to encourage other parents in the Ivy League to speak up, but it didn’t feel enough. “I knew there had to be a collective effort,” she mentioned. That opportunity came shortly after Thomas’s controversial NCAA victory, where she won the women’s 500 freestyle and tied with Gaines in the 200 freestyle.
Gaines would later connect Jones with former University of Arizona swimmer Sismith. Smith, who observed the debate from afar, still felt a personal connection given her own background. “The pressure I felt back in 2005 doesn’t compare to what these athletes are facing now,” she said, emphasizing how daunting it would be to compete knowing all eyes were on them in such a contentious situation.
Smith’s experiences led her to question the fairness of Thomas’s participation. “I felt a disconnect competing with my male teammates,” she admitted. “This is the first time the NCAA is experiencing something like this with Thomas.”
United by their shared concerns, Jones and Smith decided to act. Smith had reserved space at the NCAA annual meeting that year, planning to distribute flyers. Yet, Jones felt they needed to do more. “Together, we held a three-day event called ‘The Birth of Icons’,” she said. This was the inaugural event for the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, featuring discussions with female athletes, legal experts, and tennis legend Martina Navratilova.
“I’m not sure how it all came together, but it felt like the right thing to do,” Jones remarked. Their organization pledged financial support for the legal costs of the upcoming Gaines v. NCAA lawsuit, which is set for March 2024. This lawsuit includes multiple female NCAA athletes who have been affected by Thomas’s participation and is expanding to address broader concerns in women’s sports.
Moreover, the group is also backing lawsuits against the University of Pennsylvania from three of Thomas’s former teammates, along with other legal actions involving transgender athletes.
