In a significant change to its participation policy, the NCAA announced on Thursday that only athletes who were assigned female at birth will be allowed to compete in women’s sports. This decision comes right after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at restricting transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. The executive order allows federal agencies to potentially withhold funding from organizations that do not comply with Title IX, which the Trump administration interprets as recognizing only the gender assigned at birth.
The NCAA’s policy change is effective immediately and affects all athletes, regardless of previous eligibility evaluations under the earlier transgender participation rules. With more than 1,200 schools and over 500,000 athletes, the NCAA stands as the biggest governing body for college athletics in the United States.
NCAA President Charlie Baker expressed that the new policy provides a clear and consistent standard to better serve the student-athletes who participate. “We strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today’s student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions,” Baker said. He emphasized that Trump’s order creates a national standard for these sports.
Under the revised rules, while athletes assigned male at birth can practice with women’s teams, they are eligible to receive benefits like medical care during practice. This change has sparked a significant debate and reactions from various groups, reflecting ongoing discussions about inclusion and fairness in sports.
As the NCAA continues to navigate these complex issues, the impact of this policy change on athletes and institutions remains to be fully seen.
