Caitlyn Jenner decried transgender college swimmer Lia Thomas as “one of the worst things to happen to the trans community” in an interview Thursday.
Jenner told Piers Morgan that the swimmer was bad PR for trans people on the host’s new show “Piers Morgan Uncensored.”
“Lia Thomas is one of the worst things that happened to the trans community because it’s such bad publicity,” she said.
“I’ve met so many wonderful trans people, doing so many wonderful things, living their life authentically.”
Thomas, 23, who set records swimming on the University of Pennsylvania’s women’s swim team, has been the center of controversy over the issue of biological males competing against biological females in the NCAA. She is scheduled to graduate later this year, and is eyeing a run at the Olympics.
“I hope Lia Thomas — it’s over for her now because she’s out of college — and I just hope she has a wonderful life,” said Jenner, a former Olympic gold medalist who appeared on Morgan’s show after initially canceling over his fiery interview with former President Donald Trump.
“Being trans is not easy, I hope she enjoys the rest of her life and has a good life.”
Jenner, who won gold in the 1976 Olympic decathlon as a man, has been outspoken in criticizing trans-female athletes for participating in women’s college sports.
“We must protect women’s sports. At all costs. What Lia has done, beating biological women to win a Division I national championship, is anathema to what sports represents and the spirit of competition,” she wrote in an editorial earlier this month.
Thomas’ dominance this year sparked outrage within the women’s athletic community, who claimed she destroyed the fair-play rights of the young women she defeated.
She won the 500-yard NCAA women’s championship in March, prompting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to claim second-place finisher Emma Wyant as the rightful winner, which Jenner applauded.
“@GovRonDeSantis agreed! She is the rightful winner!” Jenner tweeted. “It’s not transphobic or anti-trans, it’s COMMON SENSE!”
Last week, Jenner tweeted that she was yanking her appearance on Morgan’s show over his sit-down with Trump, who stormed out as the journalist grilled him on his claims that the 2020 election was rigged.
“@piersmorgan I have just had my management cancel my appearance with you for this Wednesday because of your repulsive misconduct today,” Jenner tweeted on April 20.
During her appearance on “Uncensored” Thursday, Jenner said she wanted to “clear the air.”
“I was asked to do this show like a month ago and I wound up canceling about two weeks ago,” Jenner started.
“Why? Because I saw what you did to President Donald Trump, our president who I have a lot of respect for, like he was walking out, you sensationalized the promo to build up ratings and all this, and I thought to myself I don’t want to be part of that and so I canceled.
“But since then, and I stand by what I did, but since then we’ve had a chance to talk, I’ve talked to your producers, I feel pretty confident you won’t do that to me.”
Piers claimed the promotion of the Trump interview was inspired by the 45th president’s career hosting NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” which he won in 2008.
“He did those kind of promos on me every night to get people watching, so all is fair in love and promo war,” Morgan responded.
