EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., called on NCAA President Charlie Baker to make changes to the organization’s rule book when it comes to fairness in women’s sports.
Blackburn’s letter, exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, called on the NCAA “to update your student-athlete participation policy to require that only biologically female students participate in women’s sports.”
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The GOP lawmaker wrote that the NCAA has not done enough to protect women’s athletes despite boasting about collegiate stars at the Paris Olympics. Blackburn pointed to scientific studies that showed “males have inherent athletic advantages over females due to their anatomy and biology.”
“While men may have inherent athletic advantages, they have no advantage over women in their level of passion, drive, or desire to compete,” Blackburn’s letter reads. “The very bedrock of sport is the exhibition of a commitment to excellence, grace under pressure, and fair play among competitors — all of which is threatened absent an even playing field.
“Women deserve that even playing field and chance to compete, one that can only be achieved by ensuring that only females compete in women’s sports. We urge you to follow the lead of the NAIA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport and adopt policies that protect women’s sports.”
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Numerous senators endorsed Blackburn’s letter, including Tommy Tuberville, Katie Britt, Joni Ernst, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Cynthia Lummis, James Lankford, John Thune, James Risch, Steve Daines, Roger Wicker, Kevin Cramer, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Pete Ricketts, Ted Budd, Marco Rubio, Mike Crapo, Mike Braun, Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis, Roger Marshall and Rick Scott.
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) banned transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports in April.
Blackburn’s letter came as the Biden administration’s Title IX rewrite took effect in some states, which says sex discrimination includes discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
The revision also fails to forbid schools from enacting bans on transgender athletes competing against biological females.
The NCAA’s final phase of its update to its transgender inclusion policy took effect last August.
“… Participation in NCAA sports requires transgender student-athletes to provide documentation that meets the sport-specific standard submitted twice annually (once at the beginning of competition season and the second six months following) for one year,” says the policy, which started on Aug. 1, 2023. “This process will continue annually for eligible student-athletes.”
“For participation in NCAA championships, transgender athletes must additionally provide documentation of testosterone levels to the CSMAS with laboratory work completed within four weeks of the championship selections.”
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