Tuberville criticizes women's right's groups for not defending Title IX following Lia Thomas' championship win

Sen. Tommy Tuberville questioned why women's rights groups aren't fighting to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports in order to maintain an even playing field.

Debate around whether transgender women should be allowed to compete against biological females escalated in recent months as Lia Thomas excelled in collegiate swimming. The University of Pennsylvania swimmer, who competed as a male for three years, became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title this month.

"Where are the women’s rights people?" Tuberville said during a Fox News interview. "Where are the feminist groups that fought tooth and nail for Title IX?"

Transgender woman Lia Thomas (L) of the University of Pennsylvania stands on the podium after winning the 500-yard freestyle as other medalists (L-R) Emma Weyant, Erica Sullivan and Brooke Forde pose for a photo at the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championshipon March 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Title IX, part of the Education Amendments of 1972, forbids sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs, including athletics.

NBC NEWS MUM AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF EDITING IMAGE OF TRANSGENDER SWIMMER LIA THOMAS

Tuberville, a former Auburn University head coach, said Title IX was "one of the best things that the federal government has ever done, especially for women and building leadership for women, from young girls on up."

Fox News previously reached out to several women's advocacy groups about their position on transgender athletes, but none responded. (In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Champion Women CEO Nancy Hogshead-Makar spoke out on the issue.)

"What you look for in sports is fairness,"