Michigan women's water polo club team under fire as trans athlete reportedly competes for squad
Alicia Paans, a 31-year-old graduate student, competed for Michigan last year as well
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A transgender athlete is reportedly set to compete in a national women’s water polo championship this weekend, which will be her second time doing so.
The Michigan Wolverines women’s water polo club team has Alicia Paans, a 31-year-old graduate student, on its roster ahead of the 2024 National Collegiate Club Water Polo Championships. The tournament will be held at Texas A&M this upcoming weekend.
The Wolverines’ club team will take on Texas State University in its first match on May 3.
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A general view of the game ball with "CWPA Champs 2024" during the college water polo CWPA Championship final between the Michigan Wolverines and the Princeton Tigers on April 28, 2024 at Blodgett Pool in Allston, Massachusetts. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Paans, who is also a women’s chess champion in Michigan, competed for the Wolverines in 2023 in the same tournament, which they won over the University of California-Santa Barbara.
She was noted to have scored multiple goals in games leading up to the championship, a 17-5 win over Virginia and a 17-6 victory over Washington.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In January 2024, the CWPA released its transgender athlete policy, which states transgender women can participate in women’s categories.
"Transgender athletes who identify as female are eligible to compete in both the Co-ed League and the Women’s League," the policy reads, while also needing a "letter of confirmation" to confirm gender identity as well as proof of testosterone levels below 10 nmol/L within 60 days of competition.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}General view during the World Aquatics Men's Water Polo World Cup Division2 Qualifier Final Match Romania v. China at Schwimm- und Sprunghalle im Europa-Sportpark on May 7, 2023 in Berlin. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Paans was born in the Netherlands and moved to California in 2017, when she began interning at a social sports club, Volo San Diego, per Reduxx. Paans began studying social work at Michigan in 2023.
Paans has been involved in volunteer work outside sports, where she was a crisis counselor for the Family Health Line, which "is a hotline specialized in topics relating to female health and pregnancy."
Social media backlash has come from Paans set to participate in the women’s club championship.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Other than possibly basketball, water polo may involve the most dramatic difference in ability/performance between men & women. I played H2O polo, and the (difference) is incredible between men and women," one X user wrote. "Starting with a HUGE advantage with hand size, but also lower body strength to get out of the water, and upper body strength to rip shots. Plus HUGE difference in acceleration."
A general view of a KAP7 water polo ball before the college water polo CWPA Championship final between the Michigan Wolverines and the Princeton Tigers on April 28, 2024 at Blodgett Pool in Allston, Massachusetts. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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The Independent Council on Women’s Sports found Paans uses female locker rooms and facilities while competing, per parents of Michigan’s opponents.
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