Former star gymnast reacts to Team USA following Trump's executive order to protect women's sports
Worley told Fox News Digital that she is concerned about the "vague" nature of the new policy and that the USOPC has not laid out any clear guidelines regarding trans inclusion in women's sports, but it has simply included one paragraph in its athlete safety policy that directly cites Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order.
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"I think they're intentionally leaving it vague to leave room for flips and to leave room for the athletes to sort of lose autonomy over whether the competition is fair," Worley said. "They're leaving just that little bit of wiggle room to accommodate the woke mob."
The former gymnast, who competed for the U.S. national team as early as her high school years in the late 1980s, has joined other female athletes and activists, including women's fencer Stephanie Turner, in calling for the USOPC to now implement mandatory sex screening for women's competitions.
Worley said that she doesn't believe any momentum on the issue will be achieved until mandatory sex screenings are implemented.
Similar calls befell the NCAA after it updated its gender eligibility policy to comply with Trump in February. Worley made history at the University of Alabama as a 17-time All-American, a four-time champion and a nine-time regional champion. As a senior in 1993, she set an NCAA record with perfect 10's in five consecutive meets.
Still, Worley recognized that the recent change by the USOPC indicates the impact of public pressure on the organization over the issue of trans athletes in women's sports. Worley previously criticized gymnastics legend Simone Biles for verbally attacking conservative activist Riley Gaines over the issue in June and now believes that the impact of the viral feud showed the USOPC that people aren't afraid to speak out on the issue anymore.
FORMER STAR GYMNAST SLAMS USA GYMNASTICS FOR TRANS ATHLETE POLICY HANDLING
"I think everybody overplayed their hand in that situation, related to Simone, starting with her, and then including the governing body. The pressure is mounting, people are no longer afraid to be called names. People are no longer afraid to stand on the side of what is right," Worley said.
"The fact that Simone deleted her X account is absolutely evidence that [the impact of the feud has grown since it occurred]. I do think in the overall landscape of female sports it was a watershed moment."
Other athletes have directly credited the feud between Gaines and Biles as a potential motivator for the timing of the USOPC's policy change.
Turner told Fox News Digital that she believes it affected the change.
"Simone represented a side of the debate that didn't seem very informed about this issue, and it came off as insensitive and insulting as if she had abandon all the women and girls that she claims to support," Turner said. "That really put a spotlight on this debate and how insensitive being pro-men in women's sports really is for women."
Former NFL player Jack Brewer told Fox News Digital that he believed the feud impacted the recent change as well.
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"I believe the feud between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines had a lot to do with the Olympics banning transgender athletes. It exposed public opinion, and I think President Trump's victory in the last election was a major catalyst as well. People with common sense are trying to distance themselves from this lie that's been taught to our children and has penetrated throughout our society—that somehow you can choose your gender," Brewer said.
"I think people in America and in this culture are just not going to accept that. This was showcased in the feud between two of America's greatest female athletes in their respective sports. Simone Biles, by the way, is one of the greatest athletes in the history of America. For that to come out of her mouth, it really highlighted how deeply this lie has penetrated society. That was unfortunate, but sometimes you get a reality check, get slapped in the face, and you tend to wake up."
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