Elon Musk calls for boycott of tournament that allows biological men in women’s categories – Controversy erupts!
Elon Musk Calls for Boycott of Tournament that Allows Biological Men in Women’s Categories – Controversy Explodes!
Billionaire Elon Musk, known for his controversial stances, has once again reignited the debate on gender and sports by publicly calling for a boycott of an international swimming tournament that allowed biological males to compete in women’s competitions. In a series of posts on X on Thursday night, Musk, who has more than 200 million followers on the platform, declared: “No biological male should compete in women’s competitions. This is unfair and kills the spirit of sport! Boycott this tournament now!” The statement, tagged with #BoycottSwimTour, quickly racked up 18 million views, sparking a wave of polarized reactions and reigniting a global conversation about equity in sports.
The tournament in question, the 2025 Global Swim Championships, held in Sydney, Australia, has adopted an inclusive policy that allows transgender athletes to compete in female categories, provided they meet the testosterone levels established by the international swimming federation (FINA). Among the competitors, American transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who had already been the subject of controversy in 2022 when she won the women’s competition, returned to the headlines when she won a gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle, beating Australia’s Emma Carter by less than a second. Thomas’ victory, widely celebrated by LGBTQ+ rights activists, was the trigger for outrage from Musk and other critics who claim that biological men have innate physical advantages, regardless of hormone treatments.
Musk, who has previously expressed his opposition to the participation of biological males in women’s sports—most notably in 2024, when he criticized Algerian boxer Imane Khelif during the Paris Olympics—stepped up his rhetoric. “It’s a disgrace to see women’s sports destroyed by woke policies that ignore basic science. Women deserve to compete on equal terms!” Musk wrote, echoing sentiments from figures like former American swimmer Riley Gaines, who has also called for a boycott of the tournament. Gaines, who competed against Thomas in 2022 and has since become a prominent voice against the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports, posted on X: “Elon is right. This is not inclusion, this is injustice. #BoycottSwimTour.”
The controversy has exploded on social media, with #BoycottSwimTour and #SwimFairness trending globally. On one side, supporters of Musk and Gaines argue that biology gives biological men advantages like greater muscle density and lung capacity, even after gender transition. “Lia Thomas may have regulated testosterone levels, but she still has a male body that gives her an unfair advantage!” tweeted @SportsTruth2025. On the other side, inclusion advocates, including organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, condemned Musk’s statements as transphobic. “This is pure bigotry disguised as concern for sports. Trans athletes deserve to compete just like everyone else,” posted @TransRightsNow.
FINA, which revised its policies in 2022 to require trans athletes to either complete their transition before the age of 12 or maintain testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L, defended the tournament. “Our rules are based on science and ensure fairness. Lia Thomas met all the criteria,” a spokesperson for the federation told The Guardian. However, critics point out that such policies fail to address structural advantages, such as Thomas’s average height of 5’10” versus the female competitors’ 5’5”, or her larger wingspan, factors that directly influence swimming performance.
The controversy grew even more intense as other public figures weighed in. Former US President Donald Trump, a Musk ally, posted on X: “I agree with Elon—biological males in women’s sports is a sham. Let’s protect our female athletes!” Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris, who had previously congratulated Thomas on her 2022 achievements, called for restraint, telling CNN: “We must strike a balance between inclusion and equity, but attacks like these only breed hate.” Swimmer Emma Carter, who lost to Thomas, avoided direct criticism but told the Sydney Morning Herald: “I gave it my all, but it’s hard to compete when the rules feel so unequal.”
Musk’s call for a boycott is already having an impact on the tournament. Sponsors including Speedo and Omega are facing pressure to take a stand, with some X-rated users threatening to boycott their brands. Viewership for the livestreamed event is down 15% from expectations, according to preliminary Nielsen data. Anti-trans activists are planning protests at the venue, while pro-LGBTQ+ groups are organizing a vigil in support of Thomas, raising the risk of clashes.
Musk, who has a history of conservative stances on gender issues—such as his criticism of the “woke mind virus” surrounding his transgender daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson’s transition in 2022—seems determined to keep up the pressure. His political involvement, including his support for Trump and his role in the administration as an efficiency adviser, adds a layer of power to his statements, but also invites accusations of hypocrisy. Critics at X point out that Musk, who has been sued for questionable labor practices at his companies, including Tesla, where women have reported systemic sexism, has no moral authority to speak out on equity.
As the controversy rages on, the world of sport faces a dilemma: how to balance inclusion and competitive fairness in a landscape where science, politics and emotion collide. The 2025 Global Swim Championships could be a tipping point, forcing federations to revise their policies or face further boycotts. In the meantime, Musk’s voice continues to resonate, further polarizing an already incendiary debate.
Stay tuned for updates on X under #BoycottSwimTour as this global controversy unfolds.
