Sports
Trump nominates attorney helping lead lawsuits over UPenn, SJSU trans athlete scandals for federal judgeship
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump nominated attorney Justin Olson, of the firm Kroger Gardis & Regas, LLP, to sit on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
Olson is one of the attorneys helping to lead a lawsuit financed by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) against the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, the Ivy League and NCAA for its handling of a situation involving transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Olson is also listed as an attorney in ICONS’s lawsuit against the Mountain West Conference and representatives of San Jose State University over their handling of a situation involving trans volleyball player Blaire Fleming.
Trump noted Olson’s work on those cases in an announcement of the nomination on Truth Social on Friday.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“It is my honor to nominate Justin Olson to serve as Judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana! Graduating magna cum laude from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Justin previously distinguished himself at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Indianapolis and, as a litigator, has been fighting tirelessly to keep men out of women’s sports,” Trump wrote.
“Hoosiers can trust Justin to always uphold the Rule of Law, and strongly protect their Constitutional Rights. Congratulations Justin!”
Former UPenn swimmers Grace Estabrook, Margot Kaczorowski and Ellen Holmquist filed a lawsuit on Feb. 5, alleging UPenn officials led them to feel their concerns over being teammates with Thomas were rooted in a “psychological problem,” and that by allowing Thomas to compete, the institutions “injured them and violated federal law.”
Thomas, a biological male, previously competed for the UPenn men’s swimming team from 2017-20 under the name Will Thomas. According to the lawsuit, Thomas was introduced by women’s swimming head coach Mike Schnur to the women’s swimmers during a team meeting in Fall 2019 as their incoming teammate.
Each of the three plaintiffs claims the experience left them “repeatedly emotionally traumatized.”
The plaintiffs allege that the university administrators pushed pro-trans ideology onto them throughout the process of accepting Thomas on the team and in their locker room. The plaintiffs also allege that the administrators warned them against speaking out against the situation publicly.
“The UPenn administrators went on to tell the women that if the women spoke publicly about their concerns about Thomas’ participation on the Women’s Team, the reputation of those complaining about Thomas being on the team would be tainted with transphobia for the rest of their lives and they would probably never be able to get a job,’” the lawsuit alleges.
Thomas went on to win NCAA Division I national championship in the 500-yard freestyle, earned three All-America honors at the NCAA Championships, and was named the High Point Swimmer of the Meet at the Ivy League Championships.
UPenn agreed with the Trump administration in June to strip the athlete’s swimming records from the women’s program archives, and adopt a policy to keep biological males out of women’s sports.
Meanwhile, in the SJSU case, former women’s volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser filed that lawsuit in November 2024, alongside 10 other former and current Mountain West players. Slusser alleged the Mountain West and SJSU withheld knowledge of Fleming’s biological sex from her and other players while having her share changing spaces and hotel rooms with Fleming.
SJSU is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for the situation.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
In addition to his work on those cases, Olson has also served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Civil Division, and served as the civil health care fraud coordinator and civil opioid coordinator.
At Kroger Gardis, Olson represents and advises clients on health care fraud and abuse, the False Claims Act enforcement and Controlled Substances Act regulatory compliance and enforcement, responding to government subpoenas, civil investigative demands and requests for information, as well as in navigating and resolving government investigations.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The United States came away with 33 total medals at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, and many came from the female athletes who showed out in Italy this month.
There were 17 medals won by the U.S. female athletes, including eight of the 12 gold medals.
As many Americans enjoyed watching the events at home, LPGA Tour legend Michelle Wie West was in Milan watching the U.S. reach the podium in several events.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Michelle Wie attends Netflix’s “Happy Gilmore 2” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on July 21, 2025, in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
“I had the honor to be in Milan with Nike and got to see some Winter Olympic Games for the first time in person. It’s amazing to see all these competitors,” she told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “Got to see [silver medalist] Chloe [Kim] do her halfpipe, and that was incredible.
“Women’s hockey, I mean, incredible. I got to go to the first game, and it was just lights out.”
From Mia Manganello in speed skating, to Alysa Liu’s captivating gold medal in figure skating, Wie West admitted the Olympics made her a bit emotional seeing the athletes achieve their dreams.
“This whole Winter Olympics season has been so — I think every Olympic season is so uplifting,” she said. “But this one in particular was so inspiring, and it feels like the female athletes really knocked it out of the park.
“I feel like every Olympics gets me really emotional. I can see athletes achieve their dreams, and it’s so cool. It was really cool to see it in person.”
Gold medalist Alysa Liu of Team United States poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Single Skating on day thirteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Wie West also added that Lindsey Vonn’s “heartbreaking” crash, after competing through a torn ACL, was hard to see. However, “seeing her journey up until that moment and even afterwards has been so inspiring to me.”
Breanna Stewart, a three-time gold medalist with Team USA women’s basketball, shared Wie West’s sentiments about seeing American success overseas.
“I think there were so many events I really learned a lot about, whether it was bobsledding, or curling, or watching hockey,” she said. “Just wanting to cheer on the USA in whatever event they were doing, and see the pride and passion the athletes were having whenever they stepped up to compete with their sport.”
LPGA player Michelle Wie West plays her shot from the 14th tee during the Golden Bear Pro-Am prior to the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 28, 2025, in Dublin, Ohio. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Stewart even mentioned getting “goosebumps” thinking about what it feels like getting a medal around your neck, and better yet, seeing the flag raise with the national anthem playing.
“It’s really just satisfaction and justification of why you’re doing it and why you’ve gone through those hard moments and times,” she explained. “To me, the Olympics is the highest of the high. You’re playing your sport at the highest level against everyone else in the world, and you see that. It’s just a goosebump feeling no matter how many times you do it. Just the pride and knowing you’re representing something bigger than yourself always comes through full circle.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State forward Emmanuel Ugbo, who is currently under a court order resulting from allegations of stalking and harassment, has been suspended for the remainder of the season.
Coach David Riley told reporters this week that Ugbo, who has neither played nor practiced for the Cougars since he was suspended on Jan. 28, will sit out the rest of the way.
“As an institution,” Riley told reporters, “we believe that’s the best course of action.”
Ugbo was accused by a Washington State women’s volleyball player of stalking and harassment after she ended their relationship. Last week, a Whitman County judge granted the woman a full protection order against Ugbo.
Ugbo’s suspension began with Washington State’s home game on Jan. 31, shortly after the woman filed for a temporary protection order. Ugbo averaged 6.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18 minutes this season. He previously played for Boise State.
Sports
Anthony Richardson free to seek trade after injury setbacks amid Colts’ shift to Daniel Jones
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Anthony Richardson Sr.’s future in Indianapolis faces more uncertainty than ever.
The Indianapolis Colts granted Anthony Richardson, the team that used the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on the quarterback, permission to explore a trade. His agent, Deiric Jackson, confirmed the latest development in the 23-year-old’s tumultuous career to ESPN on Thursday.
Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones beat out Richardson in a preseason competition for the starting job. Jones made the most of another opportunity as an NFL starter, helping the Colts win eight of their first 10 games of the 2025 regular season.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson heads off the field after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
However, his season was ultimately derailed by an Achilles injury. The setback came two years after he tore an ACL with the New York Giants. The Colts appear ready to move forward with Jones, clouding Richardson’s future in Indianapolis.
Jones is set to become a free agent in March, meaning the Colts must either use the franchise tag or sign him to a new deal. Richardson has started just 15 games in three seasons with the Colts, his tenure largely shaped by injuries.
A shoulder surgery limited Richardson to four games during his rookie campaign, while a series of setbacks cost him four games in 2024.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) looks for an open receiver during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Richardson suffered what was described as a “freak pregame incident” during warmups last season, landing him on injured reserve after attempting just two passes in two games in 2025. He has thrown 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his NFL career.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that the vision problems stemming from Richardson’s orbital fracture last October are “trending in the right direction.” He added that Richardson has been “cleared to play.”
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) celebrates his touchdown against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is expected to return to the Colts next season.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
When asked about Richardson’s standing with the Colts moving ahead, Ballard replied, “I still believe in Anthony.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
Greggs to reveal trading amid pressure from cost of living and weight loss drugs
Wall Street Has AI Psychosis
LPGA legend shares her feelings about US women’s Olympic wins: ‘Gets me really emotional’
-
Tech1 week agoA $10K Bounty Awaits Anyone Who Can Hack Ring Cameras to Stop Sharing Data With Amazon
-
Business1 week agoUS Top Court Blocks Trump’s Tariff Orders: Does It Mean Zero Duties For Indian Goods?
-
Fashion1 week agoICE cotton ticks higher on crude oil rally
-
Entertainment1 week agoThe White Lotus” creator Mike White reflects on his time on “Survivor
-
Tech1 week agoDonald Trump Jr.’s Private DC Club Has Mysterious Ties to an Ex-Cop With a Controversial Past
-
Business6 days agoEye-popping rise in one year: Betting on just gold and silver for long-term wealth creation? Think again! – The Times of India
-
Fashion1 week agoIndia’s $28 bn reset: How 5 trade deals will reprice its T&A exports
-
Sports1 week agoBrett Favre blasts NFL for no longer appealing to ‘true’ fans: ‘There’s been a slight shift’