A female Schermer was disqualified from her tournament after she had taken a knee and refused to compete against a transgender opponent.
USA Fencer Stephanie Turner would be planned for Redmond Sullivan at the Cherry Blossom tournament at the University of Maryland.
However, while the game was about to start, Turner took a knee and removed her mask in a protest during the 1a Women's Foil event.
She was then shown a black card that means that a player is immediately excluded from the competition and is suspended for the rest.
Turner had completed four games before he was confronted with Sullivan, who eventually placed the 24th of the 39 in the competition.
Talking about her decision, Turner said: 'I saw that I would be in a swimming pool with Redmond, and from there I said:' Ok, let's do it. I'm going to take the knee. “
A female Schermer was disqualified from her tournament after she took a knee and refused to compete against a transgender opponent
USA Fencer Stephanie Turner was planned to combat Redmond Sullivan at the tournament
Sullivan switched from the university team last year and has since participated in women
'I knew what to do, because USA Fencing had not listened to women's objections. At that moment I immediately took a knee. Redmond [Sullivan] Had the impression that I would start with screens.
“So when I took the knee, I looked at the referee and I said:” I'm sorry, I can't do this. I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women's tournament. And I will not thin this individual. '
'Redmond has not heard me and he comes to me and he thinks I can be injured, or he doesn't understand what is happening. He asks, “Is it going?” And I said, 'I'm sorry. I have a lot of love and respect for you, but I will not denounce you. '
Shortly thereafter, however, USA Fencing produced a statement to support Sullivan and transgender participation to the sport.
The explanation was: 'USA Fencing established our current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The policy is designed to expand access to the Screensport and to create inclusive, safe spaces.
'The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in sports and was based on the available research of the day.
'We understand that the conversation about fairness and inclusion with regard to transgender participation in Sport is evolving. USA screens will always be mistaken on the side of inclusion, and we are dedicated to change the policy as more relevant evidence-based research comes to the fore, as policy changes come into effect in the wider Olympic and Paralympic movement.
'We respect the views on all sides and encourage our members to keep sharing with us as the issue evolves. It is important that the Screens Community will enter into this dialogue, but we expect that this conversation will be carried out respectfully, either in our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to make progress is based on respectful discussion in evidence.
Turner immediately took a knee and removed her mask before he was confronted with Sullivan
Last year, Sullivan transferred from the Wagner College Men's team to the ladies team
'In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification was not related to a personal explanation, but was only the direct result of her decision to refuse an eligible opponent, the Fie [International Fencing Federation] Rules clearly forbid.
'USA Fencing is obliged to follow the letter of those rules and to ensure that participants respect the standards at an international level. We continue to commit ourselves to inclusiveness within our sport, while we also maintain any required enforcement that is determined by our administrative body. '
Transgenderatleet Sullivan previously made the headlines in December after taking the decision to switch to the women's team of her college.
It came after she participated in the girls' teams at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut in Track and Field Events.
The transfer was criticized by tennis legend Martina Navratilova and the Independent Council on Women's Sport (icons).
Navratilova, who is gay, is pronounced in her opposition to allow transgender women to compete in female sports and says they have an unfair advantage.
Sullivan seemed confused and Turner asked what happened during the tournament
“And again ….” she wrote in a message about X referring to a Reduxx report on Sullivan.
Since his inauguration, Donald Trump has signed executive orders that obliges the federal government to recognize only two sexes and another entitled: “Men love sports sports.”
In the last order, the Trump administration promised to engage the financing in every institution that allows transatletes to participate in female sports. The order instructs the Ministry of Justice to ensure that all government agencies enforce a ban under the interpretation of Trump of Title IX, a law against sex discrimination in education.
Since then, the NCAA has changed its policy and now limits sports sports to student athletes who have been assigned a woman at the birth.
