Olympic great Katie Ledecky swims around Lia Thomas, NCAA lawsuit question

Katie Ledecky will likely be headed to Paris later this summer to compete for a few more gold medals and into the history books for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics.

Ledecky is one of the most recognizable female athletes of this generation. She picked up seven gold medals before turning 30.

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Katie Ledecky after competing in the women’s 400m freestyle during the TYR Pro Swim Series San Antonio on April 11, 2024, in Texas. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Outside the pool, Ledecky doesn’t make any waves. She tends to stay out of the political sphere even as Title IX has become a hot-button issue for female athletes in the U.S. Several female athletes sued the NCAA alleging their Title IX rights were violated when the organization allowed transgender woman Lia Thomas to swim in the 2022 championships and change in the women’s locker room.

In a profile in The New York Times, Ledecky was asked about Thomas and the Title IX lawsuit. She “preferred not to get into it,” the paper reported. But did offer one general comment.

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Lia Thomas after finishing fifth in the 200-yard freestyle during the NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship on March 18, 2022, in Atlanta.  (Mike Comer/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

“I think we’re lucky to live in a country where issues can be debated, whether it’s that issue or any other issue,” Ledecky told the paper. “It’s how I feel. I think it’s important to learn perspectives of others and gain an understanding of things and learn more about where everyone comes from.”

Ledecky was also asked whether she kept up with political news.

“I don’t want to get into politics,” she told The New York Times.

“I think everyone has the ability to choose what they feel comfortable with and what they want to speak up for,” she added. “As a current athlete and somebody still competing, I have always tried to just keep my focus on the competition and not get too involved in anything that could become controversial.”

Katie Ledecky competes in the women’s 800m freestyle final during the TYR Pro Swim Series San Antonio on April 13, 2024. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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U.S. Olympic Team Trials are set for June 15. 

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