Transgender girls and women will no longer be allowed to compete in female sporting events at most college institutions in the United States. This decision was made by a governing body that has banned athletes who were assigned male at birth from participating in female competitions.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association, which is the primary governing body for college sports in the US, announced on Thursday that only athletes assigned female at birth will be able to compete in girls’ and women’s sports.
This ruling from the NCAA comes after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order the day before, aiming to withhold funding from educational institutions that permit transgender girls and women to compete in female sports.
NCAA president, Charlie Baker, stated in a press release, “The NCAA consists of 1,100 colleges and universities across all 50 states with over 530,000 student-athletes. We believe that having clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility criteria is in the best interest of today’s student-athletes instead of a mix of conflicting state laws and court decisions.”
He further added, “President Trump’s order establishes a clear, national standard.”
Baker emphasized that this change reflects the organization’s dedication to “protect, support, and enhance the mental and physical well-being of student-athletes.”
“This national standard brings much-needed clarity as we update college sports for the present-day student-athletes,” he concluded.
The NCAA is the largest governing body for college sports in the US, with over 500,000 student-athletes participating in its events annually. Other major organizations like the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) oversee competitions with fewer than 100,000 participants each year.
Participation of transgender women in sports has become a contentious issue in the US. Advocates of LGBTQ rights are pushing for greater inclusion of transgender athletes, while critics argue that it is unfair for them to compete against female-born athletes.
Recent opinion polls have revealed a growing public opposition to transgender women competing in female sports, especially after high-profile incidents like college swimmer Lia Thomas winning the NCAA Division I national championship in 2022 before being restricted from female events by World Aquatics.
Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer involved in a lawsuit against the NCAA regarding Thomas’s participation in female events, expressed satisfaction with the organization’s decision.
Trump, who has issued multiple executive orders targeting transgender individuals, has repeatedly criticized efforts to promote LGBTQ inclusion in sports and other areas. During the executive order signing ceremony, he pledged to safeguard female athletes from unfair competition.
LGBTQ advocacy groups denounced Trump’s order as discriminatory and devoid of factual basis.
Despite the executive order, organizations like Athlete Ally continue to advocate for inclusivity and acceptance of LGBTQ individuals in sports, striving for a future where everyone feels welcomed.
