Republican senators repeatedly questioned the NCAA president for not having policies in place to prevent men from competing against women in college sports.
NCAA President Charlie Baker defended himself against onslaught from senators like Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), who presented the president with the NCAA's own guidelines.
“Your guidelines say biological males can enter and use the women's locker room if they wish. What women want has nothing to do with that. There is no mention here at all. Not done.”
“We believe our guidelines give people the freedom to choose how they use their facilities,” Baker said. answered.
A surprised Hawley read the policy and clarified that “transgender student-athletes may use locker rooms, showers, and restrooms consistent with their gender identity.”
“This means men will also be able to use the women's locker room,” he added.
“Go to Amazon and buy the spine.”
Mr Baker appeared to suggest at the hearing that women could use other locker rooms if they felt uncomfortable, adding: “Others will have the opportunity to use other facilities if they wish.'' We should,” he said.
NCAA executives continued to cite federal law and recent court decisions as to why the NCAA didn't put in place rules to prevent competition between men and women, but Sen. Hawley and Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louis.) refuted this claim.
Hawley explained that there is no federal law that prevents governing bodies from making their own rules, but Kennedy accused the NCAA of just cashing checks and cannibalizing them.
“Why don't you take a stand on transgender people and biological men competing against women? You just told me that's not fair,” Kennedy continued.
In response, Baker cited “federal standards” as the reason NCAA policy was not developed, but said he was willing to “work with” the government on that.
“Why not do it yourself?” Kennedy askedclearly confused.
Baker again cited “federal law,” but Kennedy said the NCAA should stand up and say the law is wrong and then come up with different rules.
“Why not go to Amazon and buy a spine online and stand up for yourself?” Kennedy concluded.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said the issue of transgender athletes in the NCAA doesn't deserve “focus.”David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
“Let’s focus on how we can actually improve women’s sports.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) continuation She is pushing for rules that separate sports by gender and calling on NCAA officials to “ensure that women's sports are protected.”
Blackburn said her office hears about the issue on a weekly basis, noting that women in particular face constant harassment for speaking out against the issue.
At least one Democrat, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), appears to be siding with the NCAA. But Mr. Durbin seemed to suggest that the issue was not at all important.
Durbin posted a clip of him questioning the NCAA president, in which he asked, “How many NCAA athletes are there?”
“510,000,” Baker answered, before going on to clarify that there are “less than 10” transgender athletes at the college level.
In response to the video, Durbin said the NCAA should focus elsewhere.
“There are 510,000 NCAA athletes. There are fewer than 10 transgender NCAA athletes nationwide. Let's focus on how we can actually improve women's sports,” the senator said. I wrote.
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