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Swimming Australia has moved to shut down described as “false information” and “false comments” associated with Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan regarding trans swimmer Lia Thomas.

Online Content Circulate False Claims

A comment attributed to O’Callaghan but not shared from her social media accounts has been seen in updates on Meta platform Facebook, as well as on Twitter, and implied the Olympic champion would not participate in the Los Angeles Olympics if a trans athlete is allowed to compete.

The quote wrongly credited to O’Callaghan contained a inflammatory statement that “being in the same lane with Lia Thomas is absolutely an insult and a embarrassment”.

Formal Response from the Federation

Swimming Australia backed the Olympic champion in a statement titled with “false statements linked to Dolphin Mollie O’Callaghan”.

“There are currently fabricated quotes credited to Dolphin Mollie O’Callaghan appearing on platform posts,” the organization stated this past Sunday.

“Never has O’Callaghan spoken to media and given remarks on transgender athletes.

“Meta has been informed of the false information, and O’Callaghan and Swimming Australia have requested the content to be deleted.”

Current Status and Context

Posts that feature the quote attributed to O’Callaghan were still circulating on Facebook on Monday, while a company representative said that “we are looking into the appeal”.

Swimming Australia declined to make more details.

American transgender athlete Lia Thomas is banned from racing in the female category under existing World Aquatics regulations and could not change the regulations in the run-up to the recent Games.

The governing body enacted rules in 2022 which prohibit anyone who has gone through “any phase of male development” from the female category.

Regarding Mollie O’Callaghan

O’Callaghan is a five-fold Olympic gold medallist after beating compatriot Ariarne Titmus in the 200-meter freestyle championship race at the recent Olympics along with participating in four relay team triumphs.

The 21-year-old added a freestyle world championship crown to her achievements in Japan in July this year.

O’Callaghan was competing in a international competition in Indiana recently and outpaced the field by nearly two seconds to take out the freestyle race in a new best of 1:50.77.