Latest news with #Parts
UPI
19 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
Transgender student runner sues Swarthmore track, NCAA
This year has been one in which trans issues have been at the forefront, especially given President Donald Trump's executive order banning trans athletes from competing in women's sports. On Thursday, Evelyn "Evie" Parts, a long-distance runner on Swarthmore College's track and cross-country teams from 2023 to 2025, filed a lawsuit saying the NCAA was "bigoted" in its actions. File Photo (2025) by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo Aug. 18 (UPI) -- A former transgender athlete is suing Swarthmore College and the NCAA after her brief removal from the school's track and field team for women. Evelyn "Evie" Parts, a long-distance runner on Swarthmore's track and cross-country teams from 2023 until her 2025 graduation, filed a lawsuit Thursday in Pennsylvania's Eastern District, saying the NCAA was "bigoted" and subjected trans women to "segregation and ridicule." The suit against its athletic department and NCAA added that Swarthmore officials "blatantly" denied her the right to compete, which was, according to the lawsuit, "outrageous, reckless and wanton misconduct in violation of state and federal" Title IX rights. It alleged Swarthmore coaching staff pushed Parts into "such a depressive state that she engaged in self-harm and in one moment told a friend that she wanted to kill herself," court documents state. Parts transitioned as a junior in high school and enrolled in 2020 at Swarthmore near Philadelphia. The suit comes after February's executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump that banned transgender women from competing in women's sports. On Friday, a lawyer for Parts said they "stand by the allegations in the complaint." "The NCAA is a private organization that issued a bigoted policy," attorney Susan Cirilli told ESPN. "Swarthmore chose to follow that policy and disregard federal and state law," Cirilli added. In a statement, the Pennsylvania college said it "deeply values our transgender community members and the many ways they enrich campus life," adding that school officials "worked to support" Parts in a time of "rapidly evolving guidance, while balancing the ability for other members of the women's track team to compete in NCAA events." "We recognize that this is an especially difficult and painful time for members of the transgender community, including student-athletes," school officials said in their statement. Swarthmore stated given the pending litigation that the school "will not comment any further" on the matter. Parts' complaint requests punitive damages and reimbursement for time as an unattached athlete.
The Hill
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Transgender athlete sues NCAA, Swarthmore College for track team removal
A former Swarthmore College athlete is suing her alma mater, members of its athletic department and the NCAA after she was briefly removed from participating on the school's women's track and field team because she is transgender. Evie Parts, a long-distance runner who competed for Swarthmore's women's cross-country and track and field teams from 2023 until her graduation in 2025, claims the school and the NCAA discriminated against her and violated her Title IX rights in ousting her from the team in February, after the NCAA issued a policy barring transgender women from participating in women's college sports in response to an executive order from President Trump. Parts's lawsuit, filed Thursday in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, says the NCAA policy is 'bigoted' and subjects transgender women 'to segregation and ridicule.' Swarthmore, the lawsuit states, 'blatantly' denied Parts her right to compete, constituting 'outrageous, reckless and wanton misconduct in violation of state and federal law.' Through its coaching staff, Swarthmore pushed Parts 'into such a depressive state that she engaged in self-harm and in one moment told a friend that she wanted to kill herself,' the lawsuit alleges. In an emailed statement, Swarthmore said it 'deeply values our transgender community members and the many ways they enrich campus life.' 'We recognize that this is an especially difficult and painful time for members of the transgender community, including student-athletes,' the school said in its statement. 'We worked to support Evie Parts in a time of rapidly evolving guidance, while balancing the ability for other members of the women's track team to compete in NCAA events.' 'Given the pending litigation, we will not comment any further,' Swarthmore said. The NCAA did not return a request for comment. According to Parts's lawsuit, she transitioned as a junior in high school and enrolled at Swarthmore in 2020. She 'fully participated' as a member of the school's varsity women's cross-country and track and field teams during her first year, but there were no competitions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parts chose not to compete in 2021 and 2022 while preparing for and recovering from gender-affirmation surgery. She rejoined the women's cross-country team in 2023 but suffered a running-related injury and only competed in two meets. She competed in just one meet during the winter indoor track season because of the same injury, and in four meets during the spring outdoor track season. In 2024, Parts competed as a member of the women's cross-country team and was named one of four captains of the women's track team that winter. After the NCAA instituted its new policy for transgender athletes on Feb. 6, Swarthmore gave Parts two options: run for the men's team or run unattached to the college, forgoing her ability to receive coaching, medical or financial support from Swarthmore. Parts competed unattached for two meets before the school fully reinstated her as a member of the women's track team on April 11, according to the lawsuit. She raced in three meets before her graduation in May. The complaint requests that Parts be reimbursed for the money she spent as an unattached athlete, as well as consequential and punitive damages.
NBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Transgender runner sues NCAA and Swarthmore College for track team removal
Long-distance runner Evie Parts has sued the NCAA and Swarthmore College as well as members of its athletic department, saying they illegally removed her from the track team because she is a transgender athlete. Parts' lawsuit said the NCAA's ban on transgender athletes in women's sports did not have legal grounds because it's not a governmental organization and therefore does not have jurisdiction over Pennsylvania state law or the Title IX federal statute. She was removed from the team on Feb. 6, the day the NCAA issued its new policy on transgender athletes. Swarthmore men's and women's track coach Peter Carroll, athletic director Brad Koch and athletics officials Christina Epps-Chiazor and Valerie Gomez also were named in the lawsuit. According to the complaint, they sent Parts into "such a depressive state that she engaged in self-harm and in one moment told a friend that she wanted to kill herself." "We stand by the allegations in the complaint," said Susie Cirilli, an attorney who along with co-counsel Spector, Gadon, Rosen and Vinci, represents Parts. "As stated in the complaint, the NCAA is a private organization that issued a bigoted policy. Swarthmore College chose to follow that policy and disregard federal and state law." Swarthmore issued a statement that it "deeply values our transgender community members." "We recognize that this is an especially difficult and painful time for members of the transgender community, including student-athletes," the school said. "We worked to support Evie Parts in a time of rapidly evolving guidance, while balancing the ability for other members of the women's track team to compete in NCAA events. Given the pending litigation, we will not comment any further." The NCAA chose not to comment. The NCAA changed its participation policy for transgender athletes to limit competition in women's sports to athletes assigned female at birth. That change came a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order intended to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. Pennsylvania's state Senate approved a bill by a 32-18 margin on May 6 to ban transgender athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports at the collegiate and K-12 levels. The state's Democratic-controlled House of Representatives isn't expected to vote on the bill. Parts joined the Swarthmore track team in fall 2020 before then taking off the following four winter and spring seasons. She went back to the Division III team in 2023 to compete in the indoor and outdoor track seasons and in cross country. When the NCAA issued its ban, the lawsuit states, Parts was told by Epps-Chiazor and Gomez that she could compete with the men's team or as an unattached athlete. She would only receive medical treatment, the complaint says, if she competed on the men's team. According to the lawsuit, Carroll and his staff were not allowed to coach Parts, she could not travel with the team, was not allowed to receive per diem or food and had to pay her way into meets. Parts also couldn't wear a Swarthmore uniform. Swarthmore "fully reinstated" Parts on April 11, the lawsuit says, and she competed on the women's team until graduating in May. In July, a transgender woman sued Princeton University claiming she was illegally removed shortly before her race in a school-hosted track meet in May due to her gender identity. Sadie Schreiner, who had transitioned during high school, had previously run for Division III Rochester Institute of Technology but was set to compete as an athlete unattached to any school or club in the Larry Ellis Invitational. That complaint seeks unspecified damages for a "humiliating, dehumanizing and dignity-stripping ordeal" in front of family and friends.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Transgender runner Evie Parts sues NCAA and Swarthmore College for removal from track team
Swarthmore men's and women's track coach Peter Carroll, athletic director Brad Koch and athletics officials Christina Epps-Chiazor and Valerie Gomez also were named in the lawsuit. According to the complaint, they sent Parts into 'such a depressive state that she engaged in self-harm and in one moment told a friend that she wanted to kill herself.' Advertisement 'We stand by the allegations in the complaint,' said Susie Cirilli, an attorney who along with co-counsel Spector, Gadon, Rosen and Vinci, represents Parts. 'As stated in the complaint, the NCAA is a private organization that issued a bigoted policy. Swarthmore College chose to follow that policy and disregard federal and state law.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Swarthmore issued a statement that it 'deeply values our transgender community members.' 'We recognize that this is an especially difficult and painful time for members of the transgender community, including student-athletes,' the school said. 'We worked to support Evie Parts in a time of rapidly evolving guidance, while balancing the ability for other members of the women's track team to compete in NCAA events. Given the pending litigation, we will not comment any further.' Advertisement The NCAA chose not to comment. The NCAA changed its participation policy for transgender athletes to limit competition in women's sports to athletes assigned female at birth. That change came a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order intended to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. Pennsylvania's state Senate approved a bill by a 32-18 margin on May 6 to ban transgender athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports at the collegiate and K-12 levels. The state's Democratic-controlled House of Representatives isn't expected to vote on the bill. Parts joined the Swarthmore track team in fall 2020 before then taking off the following four winter and spring seasons. She went back to the Division III team in 2023 to compete in the indoor and outdoor track seasons and in cross country. When the NCAA issued its ban, the lawsuit states, Parts was told by Epps-Chiazor and Gomez that she could compete with the men's team or as an unattached athlete. She would only receive medical treatment, the complaint says, if she competed on the men's team. According to the lawsuit, Carroll and his staff were not allowed to coach Parts, she could not travel with the team, was not allowed to receive per diem or food and had to pay her way into meets. Parts also couldn't wear a Swarthmore uniform. Swarthmore 'fully reinstated' Parts on April 11, the lawsuit says, and she competed on the women's team until graduating in May. In July, a transgender woman sued Princeton University claiming she was illegally removed shortly before her race in a school-hosted track meet in May due to her gender identity. Sadie Schreiner, who had transitioned during high school, had previously run for Division III Rochester Institute of Technology but was set to compete as an athlete unattached to any school or club in the Larry Ellis Invitational. That complaint seeks unspecified damages for a 'humiliating, dehumanizing and dignity-stripping ordeal' in front of family and friends. Advertisement
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Transgender runner Evie Parts takes legal action against NCAA and Swarthmore College over sports ban
Transgender runner Evie Parts takes legal action against NCAA and Swarthmore College over sports ban (Image via Getty) Evie Parts, a long-distance runner from Towson, Maryland, has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA and Swarthmore College. She claims she was unlawfully removed from the college's women's track team due to her transgender identity. The lawsuit challenges the NCAA's policy banning transgender athletes from women's sports, arguing it lacks legal authority as the NCAA is a private organization and does not supersede federal or Pennsylvania state law, including Title IX. Evie Parts challenges NCAA and Swarthmore College over transgender track ban In her lawsuit, Evie Parts contends that the NCAA's ban on transgender athletes in women's sports is legally invalid. She was removed from Swarthmore College's women's track team on February 6, 2025, the same day the NCAA implemented its new policy. Swarthmore's men's and women's track coach Peter Carroll, athletic director Brad Koch, and athletics officials Christina Epps-Chiazor and Valerie Gomez are among the names in the lawsuit. The complaint says that the acts carried out by these people resulted in great emotional suffering for Parts, including suicidal ideation and self-harm. Attorney Susie Cirilli, representing Parts, stated, 'We stand by the allegations in the complaint. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: Unsold Sofas at Bargain Prices (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo As stated in the complaint, the NCAA is a private organization that issued a bigoted policy. Swarthmore College chose to follow that policy and … .' Also Read: 'No Right To Play Sports': AB Hernandez Transgender Athlete Faces Explosive Outrage As Riverside Poly Quits Girls Volleyball Game Evie Parts reinstated after lawsuit, wins 10,000 meters at Bill Butler Invitational Swarthmore College responded to the lawsuit by acknowledging the challenges faced during the implementation of evolving policies. The college emphasized its commitment to supporting transgender community members, including student-athletes, while balancing the ability for … . Given the pending litigation, the college refrained from providing further comments. Despite the initial removal, the lawsuit indicates that Evie Parts was 'fully reinstated' to the women's track team on April 11, 2025. She competed successfully until her graduation in May 2025, including winning the 10,000 meters at the Bill Butler Invitational in April. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
