The father said his daughter, who has been swimming since age 5, is “angry that she’s in this situation” and has “lost opportunities as a result of it,” such as losing spots on relay competitions.

“She has given this sport everything she has, and she feels like some of it’s been taken away,” he said.

The dad said he’s worried that if the rules go unchanged it will ultimately lead to taking scholarships and educational opportunities from biological women.

Another problem, he said, is that many of the girls on Thomas’ team are “without a doubt” afraid to speak out, because “any kind of opposition is immediately called transphobic.”

“Nobody wants to be labeled that way and have their future threatened,” he said.