unilad homepage
unilad homepage
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • World News
    • Crime
    • Health
    • Money
    • Sport
    • Travel
  • Music
  • Technology
  • Film and TV
    • News
    • DC Comics
    • Disney
    • Marvel
    • Netflix
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Michael Phelps' Ex-Girlfriend Slams 'Hypocrite' Olympian For Trans Athlete Statement
Home>News
Updated 11:14 8 Feb 2022 GMTPublished 11:04 31 Jan 2022 GMT

Michael Phelps' Ex-Girlfriend Slams 'Hypocrite' Olympian For Trans Athlete Statement

The Olympic swimmer recently said 'sports should all be played on an even playing field' in response to the Lia Thomas controversy.

Cameron Frew

Cameron Frew

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover
Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Sport, LGBTQ

Cameron Frew
Cameron Frew

Entertainment Editor at UNILAD. 2001: A Space Odyssey is the best film ever made, and Warrior is better than Rocky. That's all you need to know.

X

@frewfilm

Advert

Advert

Advert

Michael Phelps' transgender ex-girlfriend has branded the Olympian swimmer a 'hypocrite' after his comments on trans competitors.

In a recent interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Phelps spoke about the controversy surrounding Lia Thomas, a trans swimmer who competed on the men's swimming team for three years before transitioning, who's since joined the University of Pennsylvania’s women's team.

'I can talk from a standpoint of doping. I don’t think I’ve competed in a clean field my entire career. So I think this leads back to the organising committees again,' he said.

Reacting to ongoing debate over trans college athlete Lia Thomas competing on the women’s swimming team, “it’s very complicated,” says @MichaelPhelps. “We all should feel comfortable with who we are in our own skin. But I think sports should be played on an even playing field.” pic.twitter.com/brsq7t2vJW

— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) January 13, 2022

'It has to be a level playing field. That’s something we all need. That’s what sports are. For me, I don't know where this is going to go. I don't know what's going to happen... I believe we all should be comfortable with who we are in our own skin,' Phelps continued.

'I think sports should all be played on an even playing field. I don't know what it looks like in the future. It's hard. It's very complicated and this is my sport, this has been my sport my whole entire career, and honestly the one thing I would love is everybody being able to compete on an even playing field.'

Piers Morgan is destroying those with lower IQs who are gullible to unsubstantiated rhetoric. https://t.co/eBXPFc8sJk

— Taylor Lianne Chandler (@RealTayChaTLC) January 30, 2022

Taylor Lianne Chandler, a trans activist who previously dated Phelps, spoke to Radar Online about his comments. 'He doesn't fully understand the science, advantages or disadvantages,' she said, describing him as a 'hypocrite for saying it should be a level playing field'.

Advert

'He is genetically superior with his 6'7" wingspan, double-jointed ankles and huge feet. His chemical composition allows him to breathe in and fill his lungs and hold his breath longer... even he says that he never competed on a level playing field, inferring doping, and they still could not beat him,' she said, adding how that comment 'hurt the most'.

Michael Phelps' Trans Ex-Girlfriend Calls Him A 'Hypocrite' #michaelphelps may be the #goat but he’s still a hypocrite! Great swimmer, but crippled without Drew, Rick & Peter-Octagon. They probably got ⁦@PFF⁩ to start this controversy not naming him https://t.co/PRxjN0P9Py

— Taylor Lianne Chandler (@RealTayChaTLC) January 30, 2022

'In that moment of watching and hearing him say those things, it felt like a literal slap in the face. I felt like I was good enough to love, lay with and be with, but not be respected or allowed in the women's sport of swimming – like I was not a woman, but rather an alien or God-knows-what. It can't be a woman's sport if it doesn't include all women, period!' Chandler said.

While conceding it's likely he was 'caught off guard', she said, 'The hope would have been that he would have said he supports trans youth in sports, especially trans girls, but he didn't!'

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]  

  • Trump slams 'loser' Team USA Olympian Hunter Hess after athlete shared what he thinks of America
  • Ex-girlfriend of Olympian speaks out after he confessed to cheating on her on live TV
  • How I Met Your Mother actor Nick Pasqual sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for stabbing ex-girlfriend 20 times
  • Olympian who confessed to cheating on girlfriend on live TV issues apology to teammate over actions

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
3 hours ago
4 hours ago
7 hours ago
  • Kevin Carter/Getty Image
    2 hours ago

    United Airlines confirms it's testing a new economy row with a 'permanently blocked' middle seat

    Yet as well as providing ample elbow room, it could have one distinct advantage for the company

    News
  •  Aidan Monaghan/HBO
    3 hours ago

    HBO’s Harry Potter series casts fan-favourite character who was famously cut from the movies

    Peeves the Poltergeist will be making his on-screen debut in the upcoming series

    Film & TV
  • MB Media/Getty Images
    4 hours ago

    Why is almost every player wearing pink boots at the World Cup?

    The brightly colored footwear has dominated the World Cup this year, but what exactly is the reason behind it?

    News
  • Getty Stock
    7 hours ago

    European country introduces bizarre new beach rule for anyone aged 10-65

    Only certain people are allowed access to an important bit of beach equipment

    News