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Georgia committee hearing on trans athletes in women's sports
Riley Gaines and other women testified before the Georgia state special committee on Tuesday, blasting Georgia Tech and the NCAA for allowing a biological male to compete in women's sports and change in the women's locker room with female athletes.
ATLANTA - The Georgia Senate Special Committee on the Protection of Women's Sports held its first hearing Tuesday.
Georgia lawmakers are investigating sports policies at schools, colleges and universities.
They say it's an effort to ensure fairness in women's sports.
"What we are standing for, what we were here today to talk about, is very much a message that is pro woman. It is pro fairness. It is pro safety. It is common sense," Riley Gaines told reporters following the hearing.
Gaines and four other women testified during the hearing. They recounted the mental anguish they said they endured while competing against transgender athlete Lia Thomas during the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving National Championships at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2022.
They blasted Georgia Tech and the NCAA for allowing a biological male to compete in women's sports, and change in the women's locker room.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 18: University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18th, 2022 at the McAuley A …
A Georgia Tech spokesperson responded to the women's remarks via a written statement saying, "As is standard practice with NCAA championships, the event was administered by the NCAA. We have and will continue to cooperate with the committee."
The NCAA also issued a written statement saying, "The NCAA will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports, and ensure fair competition for all student-athletes in all NCAA championships."
"There is nothing perverse about people existing as their authentic selves," said Georgia Equality spokesperson Noel Heatherland.
She spoke in support of transgender athletes, noting the NCAA has revised its polices to address the controversial issue.
"There are already guidelines in place to ensure there is a level playing field," Heatherland said.
Gaines said she doesn't see any scenario where men should compete in women's sports.