Michael Phelps likened trans athletes competing in women's sports to doping

• Michael Phelps addressed the debate around trans athletes in women's sports during a CNN interview.
• The superstar Olympian said it's "very complicated" while likening the situation to doping.

Michael Phelps has weighed in on recent drama enveloping the world of swimming.

The most decorated Olympian in the history of the games joined CNN for an all-encompassing interview last week, and he addressed the debate surrounding trans athletes competing in women's sports.

"It's hard. It's a really ... It's very complicated," Phelps told CNN's Christiane Amanpour on January 13. "And this is my sport. This has been my sport for my whole entire career and, honestly, the one thing I would love is everybody to be able to play on an even playing field. That's all I can say."

The 23-time Olympic gold medalist was specifically asked about Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer on the University of Pennsylvania's women's team. Thomas — who competed for the Quakers' men's team for the first three years of her college swimming career — has been at the center of controversy in recent weeks for her perceived biological advantage.

After coming out as a trans woman, the Austin, Texas, native spent two years transitioning and working with the NCAA and Ivy League to comply with rules that would allow her to compete in women's competitions. The NCAA requires trans women to complete at least "one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment" before competing in women's events, according to the association's policies for transgender participation.

Though Thomas has fulfilled that prerequisite and is abiding by NCAA protocols, many scrutinized her participation in women's events due to her recent dominance in the pool. Phelps even likened the situation to doping.

"I can talk from a standpoint of doping. I don't think I've competed in a clean field in my entire career," the Olympic legend said. "It has to be a level playing field. I think that's something that we all need. That's what sports are, and for me, I don't know where this is going to go, I don't know what's going to happen."

"I believe we all should feel comfortable with who we are in our own skin," he added. "But I think sports should all be played on an even playing field. I don't know what that looks like in the future."

Check out Phelps' full response below: