A fencer was disqualified from a women’s USA Fencing-sanctioned regional tournament held at the University of Maryland on March 30 after refusing to face an opponent she believes is transgender.
Before her tournament match, fencer Stephanie Turner took a knee and removed her mask to protest her opponent. Turner was given a black card, which can be issued after instances such as unsportsmanlike behavior or disrespecting referees and staff, and was disqualified from the event after refusing to compete, according to the Associated Press.
Multiple news outlets have refrained from naming Turner’s opponent’s identity, who has not publicly commented on the situation.
During an interview with Fox News, Turner said she avoids competing in tournaments where there would be an athlete she believes is trans. But for this tournament, she registered before her opponent, Turner told Fox News.
Turner told Fox News that when she checked the tournament’s online registration before the match, she said she recognized her opponent’s name from an article that had been written prior to the tournament that identified her opponent as transgender.
She said during the interview that she felt “at a loss” and was disappointed in USA Fencing when she realized.
In a statement to The Diamondback, USA Fencing wrote that Turner’s disqualification was unrelated to her personal statements and resulted from her declining to fence an eligible and properly entered opponent, which is prohibited by the International Fencing Federation’s rules.
“USA Fencing is obligated to follow the letter of those rules and ensure that participants respect the standards set at the international level,” the statement read. “We remain committed to inclusivity within our sport while also upholding every requirement dictated by our governing body.”
[NCAA bans transgender athletes from women’s sports after Trump executive order]
According to the USA Fencing website, trans women athletes must be on testosterone suppression treatment for at least 12 months before participating in women’s competitions and provide proof of their hormone therapy before competing.
Discussions about whether trans women should be permitted to participate in women’s sports have increased since President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 5 banning trans women from competing in women’s sports, according to the Associated Press.
The day after Trump’s order, the NCAA banned trans women from competing in women’s sports.
According to USA Fencing’s statement, the March 30 tournament at this university was not an NCAA event.
This university deferred to USA Fencing in response to The Diamondback’s request for comment.
