Fencer Disqualified After Refusing to Compete Against Transgender Opponent
A female fencer was disqualified from a women’s competition in the United States after refusing to compete against a transgender athlete.
Stephanie Turner protested by taking a knee on the piste before her scheduled match against Redmond Sullivan at the University of Maryland. As a result, she was shown a black card and informed that she would not be allowed to continue in the women’s foil tournament.
According to the International Fencing Federation (FIE) rules, fencers are not permitted to refuse a match against a properly entered opponent for any reason.
USA Fencing, which implemented its transgender and non-binary participation policy in 2023, defended its stance, stating:
“The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was established based on the available research at the time.”
The organization added:
“USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion and is committed to revising the policy as more evidence-based research becomes available or as changes occur within the broader Olympic and Paralympic movement.”
Explaining her protest, Turner, who represents the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia, told Fox News:
“I saw that I was going to be in a pool with Redmond, and from there, I decided: ‘OK, let’s do it. I’m going to take the knee.’
“I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women’s objections regarding its gender eligibility policy,” she continued.
“When I took the knee, I looked at the referee and said: ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man. This is a women’s tournament, and I will not fence this individual.'”
In response to Turner’s disqualification on March 30, USA Fencing stated:
*”Her disqualification, which applies only to this tournament, was not based on any personal statement but rather on her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which is prohibited under FIE rules.
USA Fencing is obligated to uphold these rules and ensure all participants respect the international standards of the sport. We remain committed to inclusivity while adhering to the regulations set by our governing body.”*
The Cherry Blossom competition, held at the University of Maryland, was not an NCAA-sanctioned event.
In February, the NCAA introduced a new policy stating that only “student-athletes assigned female at birth” are eligible to compete in collegiate women’s competitions. This policy change followed an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump, which banned transgender women from competing in female sports categories.
Turner has competed in over 200 fencing matches, including national championships. Meanwhile, Sullivan, who represents Wagner College, has won 18 of her 45 previous bouts and finished 24th out of 39 competitors at the Maryland event.