A headline reproduced from a 2023 parody news article, saying that a men’s swimming team refused to compete against transgender athlete Lia Thomas, resurfaced online, shared as though it was authentic.

Facebook posts, opens new tab shared the fake headline reading: “Breaking: Men’s Swimming Team Refuses To Compete Against Lia Thomas, Says ‘He’s A Cheat,’” and drawing comments such as, “Good at least some people have morals,” and “Women had to fight so hard to get him off their team, but the men simply refuse to let him swim? That’s all they had to do?”

Reuters Image
The posts included links to a clickbait website that reproduces material from other sites and redirects to product ads.

An article with the same headline was first published, opens new tab by parody news website SpaceXMania on Oct. 23, 2023, with a satire label. On its About Us page, opens new tab, SpaceXMania says that all the articles it publishes are “pure fantasy” and “not a snapshot of reality.”
The headline resurfaced in mid-June after news that Thomas lost her case against World Aquatics at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to overturn a ban on transgender athletes participating in elite women’s competitions.

The decision prevents Thomas from having a chance to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics starting on July 26.
There is no evidence that Thomas has expressed interest in competing in the men’s swimming category, as suggested in the fabricated headline.

Representatives for the competitive swimming governing body USA Swimming did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

VERDICT

False. There is no evidence that a men’s swimming team has said that they will not compete against transgender athlete Lia Thomas. The headline is reproduced from a parody news website.