WNBA player Brianna Turner has expressed her concerns regarding the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) recent policy that prohibits biological males from competing in women’s sports, stating it “does nothing” to safeguard women.
In an op-ed for USA Today, Turner highlighted the IOC’s lack of genuine protection for female athletes in elite sports. She argued that simply instituting new rules won’t bring about real change. This new policy is set to take effect at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and determines participation based on genetic testing for the women’s category.
Turner criticized the IOC for what she sees as a tendency to “scapegoat” transgender athletes instead of addressing the fundamental issues facing women in sports. She emphasized that policies targeting transgender women and those with intersex variations do not truly protect women’s sports. Instead, Turner points out that real challenges, like unequal funding and limited access to facilities, remain unaddressed.
Furthermore, she rejected the IOC’s justification for these new policies, claiming that transgender athletes do not possess an inherent biological advantage over others. Drawing on her experience in organized basketball for over 15 years, Turner stated she has played alongside transgender and intersex athletes without ever noticing an unfair advantage.
She concluded her piece by urging the IOC not to utilize female athletes as a means to marginalize transgender individuals. Turner affirmed that both transgender women and women with intersex variations should be embraced as part of the sport. Advocating for fairness, she called for a future where all athletes feel included, emphasizing that women’s sports should be a space for everyone.
Other prominent female athletes, including WNBA legend Sue Bird, have also criticized the IOC’s new policy. Bird described it as “fear-mongering” and asserted that it does not address existing problems in women’s sports. Similarly, former U.S. women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe voiced her apprehensions, questioning the scientific foundation of the IOC’s stance, and expressing concern over the testing process that may unfairly categorize women in sports.
The discourse surrounding the IOC’s policy continues to provoke a range of reactions within the sports community.
