• Loading stock data...
Monday, December 9, 2024
Tune in on Dec. 11 at 1:05 p.m. ET for our last Future of Sports virtual summit of the year – Future of Sports: Marketing! Register Now

LPGA Alters Transgender Player Policy, At Least One Player Barred

LPGA competitors now must be assigned women at birth or have undergone gender reassignment treatment before male puberty.

From left, Jeeno Thitikul, of Thailand, Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, and Yan Liu, of the Republic of China, walk onto the first green during the Kroger Queen City Classic in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024.
Imagn Images

The LPGA updated its gender policy Wednesday, icing out at least one openly transgender player in its ranks.

LPGA players will now either have to be assigned female at birth, or to have undertaken gender reassignment treatment before experiencing male puberty (beyond a certain stage or after age 12, whichever came first) and keep their testosterone levels below a certain amount since then.

“The policy—informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law—was developed with input from a broad array of stakeholders and prioritizes the competitive integrity of women’s professional tournaments and elite amateur competitions,” the announcement states. “This working group has advised that the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty.”

Recreational and “non-elite” LPGA events will remain open: “There is a place for all women to participate in golf through the broader LPGA community,” the policy reads.

Golfer Hailey Davidson will now no longer be able to compete. The 32-year-old from Scotland missed out on qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open by a shot this year but participated in LPGA pre-qualifying and qualifying events.

“Can’t say I didn’t see this coming,” Davidson posted on social media Wednesday. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.”

The previous policy said players could go through surgery after puberty and meet certain hormone requirements. LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who abruptly announced Tuesday she will step down in early January, had previously said a review of the policy was taking place and changes would be implemented before the 2025 season.

In August, more than 275 female golfers signed a letter to the LPGA, USGA, and International Golf Federation expressing their concern about Davidson and asking the organizations to change their policies.

The policy change comes just over a week after a federal judge denied a motion to ban a player on the San José State women’s volleyball team from competing in the Mountain West conference tournament. The request was filed as part of a lawsuit from Mountain West volleyball players and coaches, led by the player in question’s teammate. The player has not publicly stated that she is transgender, and has been on the team since 2022.

Major women’s sports leagues in the U.S. have historically been accommodating to transgender and nonbinary players. The NWSL has one transgender player who identifies as nonbinary, and the WNBA had multiple players who use “they/them” pronouns last season. The LPGA’s regulations are now closer to those of the international bodies governing track and swimming, which made their participation policies more restrictive after several controversies surrounding trans and intersex athletes. The International Olympic Committee released a new framework around transgender and intersex athletes in 2021 that scrapped requirements around hormone levels.

Joanna Harper, an internationally recognized researcher on transgender sports issues, said the inconsistencies among global sports were not based on science.

“It has become apparent to me that in many cases, it’s more dependent on who runs the sporting governing body than on the physical parameters of the sport,” Harper told Front Office Sports. Harper, a transgender woman, is a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon Health & Sciences University who earned her Ph.D. studying transgender athletes.

Harper says she noticed a difference in her own golf game after she transitioned, and didn’t hit the ball as far anymore. (She has also authored several groundbreaking studies about transitioning and athletic performance.)

“There is little doubt that hormone therapy will have an effect on how far a trans woman hits the ball,” Harper says. “Will trans women still hit the ball farther than cis women? That may well be true. But there’s certainly no science that indicates that.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

exclusive

Netflix Adds Kay Adams, RG3, Mina Kimes, Manti Te’o to Christmas NFL..

The streaming giant’s lineup for the Chrismas doubleheader is taking shape.
Nov 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Wilson NBA basketball held by a referee during the second half between the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena

‘Obvious Weak Point’: Refs Remain an NBA Gambling Concern

A season after Jontay Porter, the biggest risk may not be players.

Juan Soto Agrees to Groundbreaking $765 Million Mets Deal

Unlike Ohtani’s Dodgers deal, the Soto contract reportedly contains no deferred money.

ESPN, ABC To Simulcast First Non-NBC Notre Dame Home Game Since 1990

The Fighting Irish will play the first game of the College Football Playoff.

Featured Today

Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader runs with a flag before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Michigan Stadium.
opinion

College Football’s Billionaire Backer Era Begins

Is this the new normal in CFB recruiting?
LA Galaxy forward Dejan Joveljic (9) celebrates with midfielder Riqui Puig (10) after scoring a goal against Seattle Sounders FC in the second half in the 2024 MLS Cup Western Conference Final match at Dignity Health Sports Park
December 6, 2024

With or Without Messi, Major League Soccer Is Barreling Into the Future

After the Cup final, the league looks to accelerate its growth.
Dec 18, 2022; Lusail, Qatar; FIFA president Gianni Infantino claps during the awards ceremony after the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium.
December 2, 2024

FIFA Wants More Matches. Resistance Is Growing Inside the Global Soccer World

Resentment and frustration over expanded schedules is nearing a breaking point.
November 30, 2024

U.S. Investors Are Gunning for England’s Small Soccer Clubs

Is another Hollywood-like success story possible among the U.K.’s smallest clubs?
Iowa’s Kate Martin waves to the crowd during a celebration of the Iowa women’s basketball team Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

WNBA’s Valkyries Assemble Roster With Fan Favorite Kate Martin

It’s the WNBA’s first expansion draft since 2008.
Dec 1, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington (29) tackles Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) on the one yard line during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium.
December 5, 2024

NFL Relaxes Drug Policy by Reducing Fines and Resetting Violation Clocks

It makes it harder to test positive for marijuana and reduces fines.
Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver arrives prior to the WNBA All Star Game at Footprint Center.
December 6, 2024

NBA Set for China Return Five Years After Morey–Hong Kong Fiasco

The Nets and Suns will play two games in Macao in October 2025.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
December 4, 2024

WNBA Expansion Draft Drama: Picks Will Be Revealed, Not Player Pool

Only the final selections of the Golden State Valkyries will be revealed.
December 4, 2024

Toronto Tempo Announced Day After WNBA Leaked Team Name

Screenshots circulated on X of the team name on the WNBA’s website.
Oct 16, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred before game three of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field.
December 3, 2024

Manfred’s Golden At-Bat Idea Is His Most Radical Rule Change Idea Yet

The idea is an attempt to create more signature moments in games.
Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (left) and Angel Reese against the USA Women's National Team during the 2024 WNBA All Star Game at Footprint Center.
December 3, 2024

Clark vs. Reese, Valkyries Debut Highlight WNBA Schedule Release

The 2025 WNBA season will feature a record 44 games per team.