White House Excludes Female Athletes from Title IX Briefing Following NCAA Criticism
Several female athletes who recently stood beside President Trump to celebrate an executive order prohibiting transgender individuals from participating in women’s sports were notably absent from a White House briefing on women’s sports held Thursday. Sources revealed that their absence was due to their public criticisms of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) regarding its new policy.
Athletes Left Out of the Discussion
Among those not invited to the Title IX event were Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer; Sia Liilii, captain of the women’s volleyball team at the University of Nevada; and Kaitynn Wheeler, another former NCAA swimmer from the University of Kentucky. These athletes have openly challenged the NCAA’s stance on social media and in public forums.
“This is definitely not a victory, and we must advocate for more effective measures,” Wheeler expressed to CBS News.
Purpose of the Title IX Briefing
According to White House officials, the Title IX briefing aimed at state attorneys general sought to encourage the enforcement of existing sex discrimination laws to safeguard women’s rights in athletics.
Contrasting Invitations
It was reported that sports figures whose stories have not previously been highlighted by the Trump administration were invited to Thursday’s event, including athletes from Maine, where the Democratic governor has pledged to contest Trump’s order in court.
NCAA’s Policy Developments
Following President Trump’s signing of the executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” the NCAA established a new policy declaring that a “student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete for an NCAA women’s team.” White House officials view this policy as a significant win for Trump, as the NCAA has taken a firmer stance on the eligibility of transgender athletes compared to other organizations.
However, some athletes present during the photo opportunity with the president have since argued that the NCAA’s policy contains significant loopholes, allowing male athletes to still compete in women’s sports.
Controversies and Reactions
Payton McNabb, a 17-year-old who suffered injuries in a collision with a transgender female athlete during a volleyball match, was initially set to attend the briefing but was later uninvited. Her attendance status remains uncertain.
Jennifer Sey, a former gymnast and business executive and a vocal advocate for excluding transgender women from women’s sports, highlighted the complexity of sports governance. She noted that numerous organizations govern different aspects of sports, including the Olympics and events like the Boston Marathon, which may not be affected by the executive order due to their lack of federal funding.
The Road Ahead
“The landscape is highly fragmented; an executive order alone cannot address the entirety of the issue. It’s a commendable starting point,” Sey stated. “However, I find the NCAA’s policy to be grossly inadequate.” Despite being invited to the executive order announcement, she was not present at the briefing and hopes Trump will press the NCAA for a revision of its policy. “That policy should be discarded,” she asserted.
May Mailman, a senior policy strategist for Trump, conveyed to CBS that the White House is diligently monitoring NCAA actions. “If men are granted access to women’s sports, that will be unacceptable. We are committed to utilizing every resource available to address this,” Mailman said, expressing hope that state attorneys general will align with their efforts.
