{"id":520645,"date":"2026-03-05T16:32:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T16:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/520645\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T16:32:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T16:32:14","slug":"american-womens-rugby-teams-are-eliminated-to-be-replaced-by-open-category-for-trans-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/520645\/","title":{"rendered":"American women’s rugby teams are ELIMINATED to be replaced by ‘open’ category for trans athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"

By OLIVER SALT, US ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 09:34 EST, 5 March 2026 | Updated: 09:39 EST, 5 March 2026 <\/p>\n

A USA rugby program has eliminated its women’s teams and launched a new one under the ‘open’ gender division to accommodate transgender<\/a> athletes.<\/p>\n

After the governing body updated its policy to only allow biological females to compete in women’s competitions, the Charlotte Royals<\/a> opted to switch all of its teams to the newly-introduced ‘open’ category last week.<\/p>\n

Along with another team, the Mother Ruckers, the Royals put out a statement declaring their support for the category and urged others to follow suit.<\/p>\n

‘The Charlotte Royals believe that trans women are women,’ the statement said. ‘Banning trans players hurts everyone in the sport and the larger community. We will be using the Open<\/a> Division for any sanctioned matches we engage in, and encourage other clubs\/unions to do the same.<\/p>\n

‘Trans women were the trailblazers of the U.S. LGBTQIA+ Liberation movement during Stonewall<\/a>, especially Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. We will continue to include our trans siblings in our organization and community, without hesitation.’<\/p>\n

USA Rugby announced Friday that it was introducing a new ‘open’ division for trans athletes, almost a year after Donald Trump<\/a> signed an executive order to ensure only biological females can compete in women’s sports.<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The Charlotte Royals rugby team has eliminated its women’s teams to compete solely in the new ‘open’ category that accommodates for transgender athletes<\/p>\n

\"USA <\/p>\n

USA Rugby introduced the new ‘open’ division last week ahead of the 2028 Olympics, which American star Ilona Maher (right) will hope to compete in\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘USA Rugby will now have three competition categories; Men\u2019s Division, Women\u2019s Division and Open Division. The Open Division will permit any athlete, regardless of gender assigned at birth and gender identity, to compete in USA Rugby-sanctioned events, whether full contact or non-contact,’ the organization said in a statement.<\/p>\n

After wiping out its women’s teams, the Royals – who pride themselves on the inclusion of trans and non-binary athletes – will only compete in the open division going forward.<\/p>\n

The North Carolina team was previously the host club for the 2021 International Gay Rugby North American Championship.<\/p>\n

USA Rugby’s decision to introduce an open category, which comes ahead of the 2028 Olympics on home soil, has sparked fury online, with one fan branding it ‘total BS’.<\/p>\n

Another user posted: ‘There are only two genders. So dumb.’<\/p>\n

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