A WNBA task force made up of team presidents and general managers met Wednesday to discuss the participation of transgender athletes, but the league did not make any decisions on new eligibility rules.
The meeting comes amid growing controversy surrounding the issue. In recent weeks, demonstrators have staged protests both for and against transgender inclusion at Indiana Fever games after guard Sophie Cunningham publicly voiced her support for preventing transgender girls and women from competing in women’s sports.
Sophie Cunningham seemingly blames the press for Fever locker room rumors with telling gesture
WNBA keeps transgender athlete discussion open
A league spokesperson confirmed to ESPN that the meeting also covered other issues, including the growing level of online attacks and hateful comments directed at players.
“Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online. We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league. There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.”
The league added that it intends to approach the issue “thoughtfully and in alignment with the values” of the WNBA, while condemning efforts to use the discussion to “demean or marginalize” others.
For now, there are no immediate changes to the WNBA’s eligibility rules.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert had previously informed teams that a task force made up of team presidents and general managers would discuss the issue during a meeting that had already been scheduled.
The WNBA does not have a specific public policy governing the eligibility of transgender or intersex athletes. The collective bargaining agreement signed in March states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,”but it does not provide any further definition of who qualifies as a woman.
Resurfaced video shows Fever coach Stephanie White walking past Sophie Cunningham to check on DiJonai Carrington.
The controversy has even reached the draft. On Friday, former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women.
To date, no known transgender woman has played in the WNBA. However, Layshia Clarendon and AD Durr, two nonbinary athletes, have played in the league; both were assigned female at birth.
The WNBA has also not publicly clarified how its current rules would apply to transgender women, transgender men and nonbinary players.