Transgender Track Athlete Sues Swarthmore College, NCAA for Discrimination

The NCAA banned transgender women from competing in women's sports back in February.

After Trump's executive order, Swarthmore said Parts had to either compete in the men's realm or compete unattached from the school if she wanted to continue her collegiate track and field career. / GHI/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

A former track and field athlete on Thursday sued Swarthmore College, multiple athletic department officials and the NCAA for allegedly discriminating against her as a transgender woman, ESPN reported Friday.

The athlete, Evie Parts, believes the accused parties violated her "Title IX rights, inflicted emotional distress and engaged in a civil conspiracy," as summarized by ESPN. Neither the NCAA nor officials from Swarthmore responded to the outlet's request for comment.

After the NCAA banned transgender women from competing in women's sports back in February—in keeping with an executive order from President Donald Trump, which also gave federal agencies the power to withhold funding from organizations that do not align with the administrations view on the matter—Swarthmore said Parts had to either compete with the men's team or compete separately from the school should she wish to continue participating. If she chose the latter option, she was not allowed to receive medical, financial or coaching support from the school, nor could she travel with the women's team, per the lawsuit.

At that point, Parts had been a member of the women's team since the fall of 2020, though she did not compete until 2023 for a variety of reasons. In 2024, she was named one of four captains.

As a result of the policy change and subsequent treatment, Parts claims she later became severely depressed, with thoughts of self-harm and suicide, per the suit.

"We stand by the allegations in the complaint," said Susan Cirilli, Parts' attorney, per ESPN. "The NCAA is a private organization that issued a bigoted policy. Swarthmore chose to follow that policy and disregard federal and state law."

Parts was eventually reinstated as a member of the women's team on April 11. Once back aboard, she later competed in three meets with the school before graduating in May.

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