USA Fencing stands by trans athlete after female – Sports News
USA Fencing has launched a assertion backing transgender fencer Redmond Sullivan.
Over the weekend, Sullivan competed at The Cherry Blossom, a match on USA Fencing’s calendar, which passed off on the University of Maryland. Sullivan was amongst those that competed within the Division IA Women’s Foil, a division with no score necessities and seen as a developmental occasion.
As Sullivan and their opponent, Stephanie Turner, donned their protecting headgear, the latter instantly kneeled and threw down her masks, seemingly in protest of having to face the transgender fencer. Turner kneeled for more than two minutes as she was spoken to.
Turner was then assessed a black card, which routinely expelled her from the occasion. In response to the incident, USA Fencing launched a assertion to Express U.S. Sports, backing Sullivan.
“USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023,” USA Fencing stated in an electronic mail. “The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day.
“We perceive that the dialog on equity and inclusion pertaining to transgender participation in sport is evolving. USA Fencing will at all times err on the facet of inclusion, and we’re dedicated to amending the coverage as more related evidence-based analysis emerges, or as coverage modifications take impact within the wider Olympic & Paralympic motion.
“We respect the viewpoints on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the matter evolves. It’s important for the fencing community to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be conducted respectfully, whether at our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to progress is by respectful discussion based in evidence.”
The group added that its accountability is to “ensure that all athletes, regardless of their personal positions, compete under the same rules established by our international federation.” Further, the FIE’s – the International Fencing Federation – Technical Rules, Article t.113 states that a fencer is “not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason.”
If these guidelines are violated, the fencer will probably be disqualified. In Turner’s case, USA Fencing clarified that her disqualification was as a consequence of her breaking the FIE’s guidelines slightly than any remark she made.
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“In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification was not related to any personal statement but was merely the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE rules clearly prohibit,” USA Fencing’s assertion continued.
“USA Fencing is obligated to follow the letter of those rules and ensure that participants respect the standards set at the international level. We remain committed to inclusivity within our sport while also upholding every requirement dictated by our governing body.”
Sullivan made waves in 2024 after they transferred to Wagner College’s girls’s group after having competed within the males’s division. At the Connecticut Division Junior Olympic Qualifiers in December 2024, Sullivan got here in first out of six opponents within the Junior Women’s Foil.
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