Swimming Body Takes Action to Suppress Fake Quotes Attributed to Star Swimmer Mollie O’Callaghan

Swimming Australia has taken steps to suppress what it calls “fabricated stories” and “false comments” associated with Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan about transgender athlete Lia Thomas.

Online Content Spread Inaccurate Statements

A comment attributed to O’Callaghan but not posted from her online platforms has appeared in updates on Facebook, as well as on Twitter, and suggested the elite athlete would not participate in the Los Angeles Olympics if a transgender swimmer is permitted to participate.

The statement incorrectly linked to O’Callaghan included a controversial remark that “being in the same lane with Lia Thomas is truly an disgrace and a disgrace”.

Official Statement from the Federation

The national body backed the star swimmer in a release titled with “false statements linked to Dolphin Mollie O’Callaghan”.

“At present, there are made-up comments credited to Dolphin Mollie O’Callaghan circulating on platform posts,” Swimming Australia announced recently.

“Never has O’Callaghan been interviewed and given remarks on this issue.

“Facebook’s parent company has been notified of the fabricated stories, and O’Callaghan and Swimming Australia have requested the posts to be removed.”

Latest Developments and Context

Posts that contain the quote attributed to O’Callaghan were still visible on Facebook on the following day, while a Meta spokesperson said that “we are investigating the appeal”.

The organization did not offer further comment.

United States transgender athlete Lia Thomas is barred from participating in the women’s events under existing governing body regulations and failed to overturn the regulations in the run-up to the Paris Olympics.

The international federation enacted guidelines in recent years which prohibit anyone who has undergone “any phase of male development” from the women’s competition.

About Mollie O’Callaghan

O’Callaghan is a five-fold Olympic gold medallist after outpacing teammate Ariarne Titmus in the 200m freestyle championship race at the Paris event along with contributing to four winning relays.

The young champion earned a freestyle world title to her accolades in Tokyo in recent months.

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 freestyle race in a new best of a record time.