Transgender Runner Sues Princeton University
On May 3, transgender runner Sadie Schreiner initiated a lawsuit against Princeton University after being barred from participating in the women’s race.
According to the lawsuit, the university informed Schreiner that he would not be able to compete in the women’s 200-meter event at the Larry Ellis Invitational. Schreiner was among over 100 athletes who were not officially affiliated with the school but had registered to compete.
A Princeton official allegedly told Schreiner, “I don’t want to assume that, but you’re transgender.”
The lawsuit condemns the actions of two university officials, asserting they disregarded Schreiner’s rights as a transgender woman, violating New Jersey law and inflicting emotional and physical harm.
Specifically, it accuses Princeton of breaching state law.
Schreiner gained national recognition for her strong performances while running for the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) women’s track and field team. However, this came to an abrupt halt after the NCAA amended its gender eligibility policies, aligning them with an executive order from former President Trump aimed at restricting transgender participation in women’s sports.
“We are adhering to the Trump administration’s executive order and the NCAA’s policy on transgender student-athletes. Sadie will not be participating in the upcoming tournament,” Litt explained in a statement on February 12 regarding actions against Schreiner.
Nonetheless, on March 1, Schreiner competed in women’s races and secured first place in both the 400 and 200 meter events at the US Athletics (USATF) Open Masters Championship. The 400m victory was somewhat untraditional, as other competitors opted out of the race.
However, shortly thereafter, Schreiner expressed concerns in an Instagram video, stating that the March 1 event might be her last in the U.S. “I’ve probably just run what will be my last tournament in the US,” she shared. “I’ll find a way to continue competing, but I don’t think it’s in the US.”
Schreiner contends that the USATF has deviated from International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines, which had previously allowed men to compete in women’s categories. The new policy adopted by athletics globally prohibits athletes who have participated as females during male adolescence from competing in women’s events.
