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Swimming Australia has taken steps to stop described as “fake news” and “fabricated quotes” attributed to swimmer Mollie O’Callaghan concerning trans swimmer Lia Thomas.

Online Content Spread False Statements

Remarks linked to O’Callaghan but not shared from her online platforms has been seen in posts on the social media site Facebook, as well as on X, and implied the elite athlete would boycott in the Los Angeles Olympics if a transgender swimmer is cleared to compete.

These words incorrectly linked to O’Callaghan featured a controversial comment that “sharing a pool with Lia Thomas is truly an insult and a shame”.

Official Response from the Federation

Swimming Australia stood by the star swimmer in a announcement titled with “fabricated comments linked to Dolphin Mollie O’Callaghan”.

“There are currently fabricated quotes linked to Dolphin Mollie O’Callaghan seen on platform posts,” Swimming Australia said recently.

“Not at any point has O’Callaghan spoken to media and made statements on trans swimmers.

“The platform has been advised of the fabricated stories, and O’Callaghan and the federation have asked the posts to be deleted.”

Current Status and Context

Updates that include the comment credited to O’Callaghan were still online on the platform on Monday, while a company representative stated that “we are looking into the appeal”.

The organization declined to make more details.

American trans swimmer Lia Thomas is prohibited from participating in the female category under present World Aquatics regulations and failed to overturn the rules in the lead up to the Olympic event.

World Aquatics enacted rules in 2022 which ban anyone who has gone through “any phase of male puberty” from the women’s competition.

About Mollie O’Callaghan

O’Callaghan is a multiple champion after beating fellow Australian Ariarne Titmus in the 200m freestyle final at the 2024 Paris Games along with being part of several team victories.

The 21-year-old added a 200-meter freestyle global championship to her achievements in Tokyo in July this year.

O’Callaghan was competing in a short course short course meet in Indiana last weekend and beat the competitors by almost two seconds to take out the 200-meter event in a new best of a record time.