NCAA's Mark Emmert comments on future of transgender participation in collegiate sports

Fox News host says female swimmers in the NCAA should not 'pretend' and refuse to participate in a fraudulent system on 'The Fox News Rundown.'

Lia Thomas’ national championship and her prowess in the pool during the 2021-22 NCAA swim season ignited a debate over transgender participation in women’s sports.

NCAA President Mark Emmert, speaking in Minneapolis ahead of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four, reiterated Wednesday at a news conference the NCAA Board of Governors will look to "phase in" new transgender participation policy rules for the "new competition cycle."

"What the board also said, though, is that the new standard will be phased in starting the new competition cycle. The board's position has been we will utilize the standards the Olympics are using, but they also reserve the right to talk to the medical -- the Committee on Medical Aspects of Sport to make sure that that model, whatever the Olympics is using, is also consistent with collegiate athlete health and well-being and inclusion," Emmert said. "And so the standards that have now been put in place by USA Swimming may or may not be adopted by the international federation, FINA."

"The board is committed to using the same standards as the Olympics and simply phasing them in so that athletes know what they are far enough in advance that they can make decisions appropriately."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

NCAA president Mark Emmert speaks at a news conference at the Target Center, site of the Women's Final Four NCAA tournament Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The rules about Thomas’ participation in the Ivy League Championships and later the NCAA Championships were murky before she won a national