Trump's latest Olympic edict effectively closes US border to transgender athletes
The effects have been swift and stark. Almost immediately afterwards, the US's National Collegiate Athletic Association amended its policies to limit competition in women's sports to athletes assigned female at birth only. Last month, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee amended its policies to ensure consistency with that February 2025 order.
What was missed back in February was the order's intent to prevent from entering the United States any person whose intended entry enlivens section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) of the United States' Immigration and Nationality Act.
That provision says, ' Any alien who, by fraud or wilfully misrepresenting a material fact, seeks to procure (or has sought to procure or has procured) a visa, other documentation, or admission into the United States or other benefit provided under this Act is inadmissible.'
In context, what Trump's order is directed atis preventing entry to the United States by any person who asserts that they are anything other than the gender they were assigned at birth.
Given the legal position in the United States is that '… It is the policy of the United States to recognise two sexes, male and female. These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality …' a transgender woman applying for a US visa would be committing a fraud if using a passport denoting their selected gender as opposed to birth gender.
Trump has already declared Department of Homeland Security officers will forbid entry to any transgender athletes attempting to pass through LAX to compete at the 2028 Games. Because the Trump Administration won't countenance 'men' beating female athletes.
There's no precedent I can conjure here. Even the Third Reich didn't impose a blanket ban on black or Jewish athletes competing at the Berlin Olympics in 1936.
The question as to the participation of transgender athletes in Olympic and international-level elite athletic competition is increasingly answered by the exclusion of such athletes.
Loading
Major international federations such as World Aquatics have adopted policies deeming transgender women ineligible in female competition. The exception is where they never experienced male puberty, or unless they had their male puberty pharmacologically stopped before their 12th birthday. World Athletics has recently enshrined in its rules a one-off gender test, which must be passed for an athlete to compete in female competition.
The International Olympic Committee itself must set clear and unequivocal policy to protect the integrity of female athletic competition. But while it's the responsibility of the IOC and the international federations to traverse this minefield, it's wicked that the US president considers it within his domain to dictate who can and can't compete at the Olympics.
Unless the US Congress can override Trump's orders – or unless the Supreme Court rules them unlawful – the grim future for US transgender athletes and indeed any transgender person seeking entry to compete in sporting competition in the United States is plain.
But what is truly frightening is the prospect Homeland Security might round up international transgender athletes coming into America; asserting criminality.
When the 2028 Games to were awarded to Los Angeles in 2017, the US Olympic Committee noted that the IOC had relied on the US Government to respect the Olympic Charter. Trump was US President in 2017. The provisions of the Charter are entirely inconsistent with the bold concept of arresting any athlete for attempting to enter the host nation to compete.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
10 minutes ago
- Perth Now
China won't invade Taiwan 'as long as I'm here': Trump
US President Donald Trump claims Chinese President Xi Jinping told him China will not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office. Trump made the comments in an interview with Fox News before talks on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. "I will tell you, you know, you have a very similar thing with President Xi of China and Taiwan, but I don't believe there's any way it's going to happen as long as I'm here. We'll see," Trump said during an interview on Fox News. "He told me, 'I will never do it as long as you're president.' President Xi told me that, and I said, 'Well, I appreciate that,' but he also said, 'But I am very patient, and China is very patient," Trump said. Trump and Xi held their first confirmed call of Trump's second presidential term in June. Trump also said in April that Xi had called him but did not specify when that call took place. China views Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to "reunify" with the democratic and separately governed island, by force if necessary. Taiwan strongly objects to China's sovereignty claims. The Chinese embassy in Washington on Friday described the topic of Taiwan as "the most important and sensitive issue" in China-US relations. "The US government should adhere to the one-China principle and the three US-China joint communiques, handle Taiwan-related issues prudently, and earnestly safeguard China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said in a statement. Although Washington is Taiwan's main arms supplier and international backer, the US - like most countries - has no formal diplomatic ties with the island.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Trump leaves Alaska summit with Putin empty-handed
Donald Trump has failed to secure an agreement from Vladimir Putin to end Russia's war in Ukraine, falling short in his most significant move yet to stop the bloodshed, even after rolling out the red carpet for the man who started it. "There's no deal until there's a deal," the US president said, after Putin claimed they had hammered out an "understanding" on Ukraine and warned Europe not to "torpedo the nascent progress". Trump said he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders to brief them on the talks. Trump, who for years has baulked at American support for Ukraine and expressed admiration for Putin, had pledged confidently to bring about an end to the war on his first day back in the White House. Seven months later, after berating Zelenskiy in the Oval Office and staunching the flow of some US military assistance to Kyiv, Trump could not bring Putin even to pause the fighting, as his forces make gains on the battlefield. The US president had offered Putin both a carrot and a stick, issuing threats of punishing economic sanctions on Russia while also extending a warm welcome at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, but he appeared to walk away without any concrete progress on ending the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Instead, he handed Putin long-sought recognition on the international stage, after years of Western efforts to make him a pariah over the war and his crackdown on dissent, and forestalled the threat of additional US sanctions. In a sign that the conversations did not yield Trump's preferred result, the two leaders ended what was supposed to be a joint news conference without taking questions from reporters. During a subsequent interview with Fox News before leaving Alaska, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be somehow on Zelenskiy "to get it done", but said there would also be some involvement from European nations. That was notable since Zelenskiy was excluded from Trump and Putin's meeting. The US president had wanted to show off his deal-making skills, while Putin wanted to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains, block Kyiv's bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow's orbit. "We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to," Trump said while standing next to Putin. "And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there." He continued: "We didn't get there." Putin says Trump 'shows understanding' that Russia has its own interests. For Putin, just being on US soil for the first time in more than a decade was validation after being ostracised following his invasion of Ukraine. His meeting with Trump may stall economic sanctions the US presiden promised unless Moscow worked harder to bring the fighting to a close. It also may simply lead to more meetings, giving his forces more time to make progress on the battlefield. Putin said Russia and the US should "turn the page and go back to co-operation". He praised Trump as someone who "has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve and sincerely cares about the prosperity of his country, and at the same time shows understanding that Russia has its own national interests". "I expect that today's agreements will become a reference point not only for solving the Ukrainian problem, but will also mark the beginning of the restoration of businesslike, pragmatic relations between Russia and the US," Putin said. Despite not reaching any major breakthrough, Trump ended his remarks by thanking Putin and saying, "we'll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon". When Putin smiled and offered, "next time in Moscow", Trump said "that's an interesting one" and said he might face criticism but "I could see it possibly happening". When Trump and Putin arrived in Alaska, they greeted each other with a warm handshake, chatting almost like old friends, and gripped hands for an extended period on a red carpet rolled out at the military base. As they chatted, Putin grinned and pointed skyward, where B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew overhead. The two then shared the US presidential limo for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as they rolled past the cameras. It was the kind of reception typically reserved for close US allies and belied the bloodshed and suffering in the war Putin started in Ukraine. Although not altogether surprising considering their longtime friendly relationship, such outward friendliness likely raised concerns from Zelenskiy and European leaders, who fear Trump is primarily focusing on furthering US interests and not pressing hard enough for Ukraine's. Donald Trump has failed to secure an agreement from Vladimir Putin to end Russia's war in Ukraine, falling short in his most significant move yet to stop the bloodshed, even after rolling out the red carpet for the man who started it. "There's no deal until there's a deal," the US president said, after Putin claimed they had hammered out an "understanding" on Ukraine and warned Europe not to "torpedo the nascent progress". Trump said he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders to brief them on the talks. Trump, who for years has baulked at American support for Ukraine and expressed admiration for Putin, had pledged confidently to bring about an end to the war on his first day back in the White House. Seven months later, after berating Zelenskiy in the Oval Office and staunching the flow of some US military assistance to Kyiv, Trump could not bring Putin even to pause the fighting, as his forces make gains on the battlefield. The US president had offered Putin both a carrot and a stick, issuing threats of punishing economic sanctions on Russia while also extending a warm welcome at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, but he appeared to walk away without any concrete progress on ending the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Instead, he handed Putin long-sought recognition on the international stage, after years of Western efforts to make him a pariah over the war and his crackdown on dissent, and forestalled the threat of additional US sanctions. In a sign that the conversations did not yield Trump's preferred result, the two leaders ended what was supposed to be a joint news conference without taking questions from reporters. During a subsequent interview with Fox News before leaving Alaska, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be somehow on Zelenskiy "to get it done", but said there would also be some involvement from European nations. That was notable since Zelenskiy was excluded from Trump and Putin's meeting. The US president had wanted to show off his deal-making skills, while Putin wanted to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains, block Kyiv's bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow's orbit. "We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to," Trump said while standing next to Putin. "And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there." He continued: "We didn't get there." Putin says Trump 'shows understanding' that Russia has its own interests. For Putin, just being on US soil for the first time in more than a decade was validation after being ostracised following his invasion of Ukraine. His meeting with Trump may stall economic sanctions the US presiden promised unless Moscow worked harder to bring the fighting to a close. It also may simply lead to more meetings, giving his forces more time to make progress on the battlefield. Putin said Russia and the US should "turn the page and go back to co-operation". He praised Trump as someone who "has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve and sincerely cares about the prosperity of his country, and at the same time shows understanding that Russia has its own national interests". "I expect that today's agreements will become a reference point not only for solving the Ukrainian problem, but will also mark the beginning of the restoration of businesslike, pragmatic relations between Russia and the US," Putin said. Despite not reaching any major breakthrough, Trump ended his remarks by thanking Putin and saying, "we'll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon". When Putin smiled and offered, "next time in Moscow", Trump said "that's an interesting one" and said he might face criticism but "I could see it possibly happening". When Trump and Putin arrived in Alaska, they greeted each other with a warm handshake, chatting almost like old friends, and gripped hands for an extended period on a red carpet rolled out at the military base. As they chatted, Putin grinned and pointed skyward, where B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew overhead. The two then shared the US presidential limo for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as they rolled past the cameras. It was the kind of reception typically reserved for close US allies and belied the bloodshed and suffering in the war Putin started in Ukraine. Although not altogether surprising considering their longtime friendly relationship, such outward friendliness likely raised concerns from Zelenskiy and European leaders, who fear Trump is primarily focusing on furthering US interests and not pressing hard enough for Ukraine's. Donald Trump has failed to secure an agreement from Vladimir Putin to end Russia's war in Ukraine, falling short in his most significant move yet to stop the bloodshed, even after rolling out the red carpet for the man who started it. "There's no deal until there's a deal," the US president said, after Putin claimed they had hammered out an "understanding" on Ukraine and warned Europe not to "torpedo the nascent progress". Trump said he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders to brief them on the talks. Trump, who for years has baulked at American support for Ukraine and expressed admiration for Putin, had pledged confidently to bring about an end to the war on his first day back in the White House. Seven months later, after berating Zelenskiy in the Oval Office and staunching the flow of some US military assistance to Kyiv, Trump could not bring Putin even to pause the fighting, as his forces make gains on the battlefield. The US president had offered Putin both a carrot and a stick, issuing threats of punishing economic sanctions on Russia while also extending a warm welcome at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, but he appeared to walk away without any concrete progress on ending the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Instead, he handed Putin long-sought recognition on the international stage, after years of Western efforts to make him a pariah over the war and his crackdown on dissent, and forestalled the threat of additional US sanctions. In a sign that the conversations did not yield Trump's preferred result, the two leaders ended what was supposed to be a joint news conference without taking questions from reporters. During a subsequent interview with Fox News before leaving Alaska, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be somehow on Zelenskiy "to get it done", but said there would also be some involvement from European nations. That was notable since Zelenskiy was excluded from Trump and Putin's meeting. The US president had wanted to show off his deal-making skills, while Putin wanted to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains, block Kyiv's bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow's orbit. "We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to," Trump said while standing next to Putin. "And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there." He continued: "We didn't get there." Putin says Trump 'shows understanding' that Russia has its own interests. For Putin, just being on US soil for the first time in more than a decade was validation after being ostracised following his invasion of Ukraine. His meeting with Trump may stall economic sanctions the US presiden promised unless Moscow worked harder to bring the fighting to a close. It also may simply lead to more meetings, giving his forces more time to make progress on the battlefield. Putin said Russia and the US should "turn the page and go back to co-operation". He praised Trump as someone who "has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve and sincerely cares about the prosperity of his country, and at the same time shows understanding that Russia has its own national interests". "I expect that today's agreements will become a reference point not only for solving the Ukrainian problem, but will also mark the beginning of the restoration of businesslike, pragmatic relations between Russia and the US," Putin said. Despite not reaching any major breakthrough, Trump ended his remarks by thanking Putin and saying, "we'll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon". When Putin smiled and offered, "next time in Moscow", Trump said "that's an interesting one" and said he might face criticism but "I could see it possibly happening". When Trump and Putin arrived in Alaska, they greeted each other with a warm handshake, chatting almost like old friends, and gripped hands for an extended period on a red carpet rolled out at the military base. As they chatted, Putin grinned and pointed skyward, where B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew overhead. The two then shared the US presidential limo for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as they rolled past the cameras. It was the kind of reception typically reserved for close US allies and belied the bloodshed and suffering in the war Putin started in Ukraine. Although not altogether surprising considering their longtime friendly relationship, such outward friendliness likely raised concerns from Zelenskiy and European leaders, who fear Trump is primarily focusing on furthering US interests and not pressing hard enough for Ukraine's. Donald Trump has failed to secure an agreement from Vladimir Putin to end Russia's war in Ukraine, falling short in his most significant move yet to stop the bloodshed, even after rolling out the red carpet for the man who started it. "There's no deal until there's a deal," the US president said, after Putin claimed they had hammered out an "understanding" on Ukraine and warned Europe not to "torpedo the nascent progress". Trump said he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders to brief them on the talks. Trump, who for years has baulked at American support for Ukraine and expressed admiration for Putin, had pledged confidently to bring about an end to the war on his first day back in the White House. Seven months later, after berating Zelenskiy in the Oval Office and staunching the flow of some US military assistance to Kyiv, Trump could not bring Putin even to pause the fighting, as his forces make gains on the battlefield. The US president had offered Putin both a carrot and a stick, issuing threats of punishing economic sanctions on Russia while also extending a warm welcome at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, but he appeared to walk away without any concrete progress on ending the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Instead, he handed Putin long-sought recognition on the international stage, after years of Western efforts to make him a pariah over the war and his crackdown on dissent, and forestalled the threat of additional US sanctions. In a sign that the conversations did not yield Trump's preferred result, the two leaders ended what was supposed to be a joint news conference without taking questions from reporters. During a subsequent interview with Fox News before leaving Alaska, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be somehow on Zelenskiy "to get it done", but said there would also be some involvement from European nations. That was notable since Zelenskiy was excluded from Trump and Putin's meeting. The US president had wanted to show off his deal-making skills, while Putin wanted to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia's gains, block Kyiv's bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow's orbit. "We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to," Trump said while standing next to Putin. "And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there." He continued: "We didn't get there." Putin says Trump 'shows understanding' that Russia has its own interests. For Putin, just being on US soil for the first time in more than a decade was validation after being ostracised following his invasion of Ukraine. His meeting with Trump may stall economic sanctions the US presiden promised unless Moscow worked harder to bring the fighting to a close. It also may simply lead to more meetings, giving his forces more time to make progress on the battlefield. Putin said Russia and the US should "turn the page and go back to co-operation". He praised Trump as someone who "has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve and sincerely cares about the prosperity of his country, and at the same time shows understanding that Russia has its own national interests". "I expect that today's agreements will become a reference point not only for solving the Ukrainian problem, but will also mark the beginning of the restoration of businesslike, pragmatic relations between Russia and the US," Putin said. Despite not reaching any major breakthrough, Trump ended his remarks by thanking Putin and saying, "we'll speak to you very soon and probably see you again very soon". When Putin smiled and offered, "next time in Moscow", Trump said "that's an interesting one" and said he might face criticism but "I could see it possibly happening". When Trump and Putin arrived in Alaska, they greeted each other with a warm handshake, chatting almost like old friends, and gripped hands for an extended period on a red carpet rolled out at the military base. As they chatted, Putin grinned and pointed skyward, where B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew overhead. The two then shared the US presidential limo for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as they rolled past the cameras. It was the kind of reception typically reserved for close US allies and belied the bloodshed and suffering in the war Putin started in Ukraine. Although not altogether surprising considering their longtime friendly relationship, such outward friendliness likely raised concerns from Zelenskiy and European leaders, who fear Trump is primarily focusing on furthering US interests and not pressing hard enough for Ukraine's.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I'm emotionally attached to the Rabbitohs': Freeman to fire up Souths for Indigenous Round
Olympic legend Cathy Freeman has never met Latrell Mitchell but admires the way the Rabbitohs star 'represents his family and community and culture', and is inspiring the next generation of Indigenous sports stars. The 400m gold medallist from the 2000 Sydney Games also recalled being intimidated by coach Michael Maguire when asked to address the South Sydney playing group before the 2014 grand final, and revealed winger Alex Johnston was the one player she feared taking on in a foot race. Freeman rarely gives media interviews, but spoke to this masthead as she joined Souths to help celebrate Indigenous Round on Saturday night. Freeman was asked to join Souths, who have no fewer than 11 Indigenous players in their line-up, having addressed the group the day before the 2014 grand final. She later appeared in a famous photo sitting next to the premiership trophy with Greg Inglis, who was due to lead the players onto the field for the game against Parramatta on Saturday. The two Bunnies Freeman was keenest to meet for the first time were Mitchell, one of the biggest Indigenous sports stars in the country, and coach Wayne Bennett. 'Wayne's a bit of a legend, isn't he?' Freeman said. 'And while I've never met Latrell, I love the way he competes, the way he represents his family and community and culture, and the way he's captured everyone's imagination. 'You also have to admire someone who uses their voice and stands up for what he believes in. That's never difficult to do if you are being true to who you are.'
