More than a dozen NCAA players and one coach are suing the Mountain West Conference for alleged First Amendment violations stemming from male athletes playing against women.
San Jose State University officials are also named in the lawsuit, which alleges that female athletes have been subject to a new “transgender participation policy” that aims to “suppress the free speech rights of female athletes.” I am doing it.
of lawsuitThe group, backed by the Independent Council on Women's Sport, said the defendants had manipulated conference rules to “reduce opportunities for women in sport” and used their position to force them to compete with men in sport. The lawsuit alleges that dozens of female college athletes were punished for taking a stand against the law.
That player is Blair Fleming, a transgender athlete at SJSU. Fleming, a 6-foot-1-inch man who was born in Bladen, has been suspended five times by opposing teams for joining the team.
According to the Transgender Participation Policy provided, the decision whether to allow a “transgender athlete” to participate in intercollegiate athletics is at the discretion of each school, and each school's own determined by the effect. [and] Application of state law. ”
Shockingly, the policy states that the NCAA “will not entertain inquiries or challenges regarding the eligibility of transgender student-athletes.” Schools are also not required to provide information to opponents about whether they have transgender players on their teams.
“It is at the discretion of the certification body whether to provide relevant information,” the policy states.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include three women from the University of Wyoming, two women from Boise State University, and two women from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Nevada's Thea Lilley previously spoke to Blaze News, saying only that she got together with her teammates and decided what was going on was “not right.”
Brooke Slusser (left) and transgender athlete Blair Fleming (right) stand side by side.Photo by Andrew Webers/Getty Images
“I will do everything in my power to protect this opportunity for other girls and women.”
Two of Fleming's own teammates at SJSU joined the lawsuit, along with Melissa Batty Smooth, associate head coach of the women's volleyball team.
The coach was recently suspended after speaking out about the issue, and Fleming also conspired with his teammate (Brooke Slusser, who is also named in the lawsuit) and opponent to injure her. He even claimed that he had tried to do so.
Another plaintiff, Utah State captain Kayleigh Ray, asked for more support from the Mountain West Conference and the NCAA.
“We need leaders in the Mountain West and the NCAA to step up. Being a woman in sports has shaped my life, and I want to take this opportunity for other girls and women. I will do my best to protect it.”
San Jose State University and its staff have not responded to requests for comment on this situation and are not actively addressing any claims made by student-athletes or coaches.
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