Latest news with #Hirshland
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Olympic committee sidesteps transgender athlete policy amid LA28 buildup
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has said it will not set any policy on transgender athlete eligibility ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games, despite growing political pressure from the Trump administration and increasing scrutiny over access and inclusion in women's sport. Speaking Thursday after the committee's first board meeting of 2025, chief executive Sarah Hirshland said the USOPC had no plans to define eligibility criteria, even as US president Donald Trump's Executive Order 14201 – titled Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports – threatens to upend international participation protocols. Related: LA 2028 Olympics adds swimming sprints and mixed-gender gymnastics 'It wouldn't be appropriate,' Hirshland said. 'It's not our role to take on that position.' Responsibility for athlete eligibility, she said, falls to international federations in global events and national governing bodies (NGBs) in domestic competitions. That distinction, long upheld by the USOPC, has now become a political tightrope. LA28's host contract requires the United States to guarantee access for all qualified athletes – an obligation that could clash with the new federal order, which bars transgender women from competing in women's categories if they went through male puberty. Board chair Gene Sykes said the committee had received 'significant reassurances' from the White House and State Department that visa access for Olympic athletes and entourages would be protected, though he confirmed transgender-specific concerns were not raised during recent meetings with the administration. 'One of the key topics on our agenda was the feedback we received from the State Department regarding the president's executive order,' Sykes said. 'As a board, we reaffirmed our commitment to protecting opportunities for athletes to participate in sport … [and] to ensuring women have a fair and safe competitive environment.' The transgender eligibility question was underscored by recent controversy in USA Fencing, where an athlete forfeited rather than compete against a transgender woman at a domestic tournament. Asked if the USOPC would intervene, Hirshland again deferred. 'We do not have, nor will we have, an eligibility policy,' she said. Still, the USOPC has been lobbying on other fronts. While in Washington, Sykes and Hirshland pressed lawmakers for support of Olympic sports on college campuses, amid fears that changes to NCAA governance could reduce opportunities in non-revenue sports. Despite the political turbulence, the committee presented an optimistic outlook on LA28 preparations. The organizing committee has secured more than $1bn in commercial deals, Sykes said, crossing the halfway point of its domestic sponsorship target. More announcements are expected in the coming months. Venue planning has also firmed up. Sykes confirmed Tuesday's local organizing committee announcement that Dodger Stadium will host Olympic baseball, while Trestles Beach in San Clemente will serve as the venue for surfing. Both sites offer iconic backdrops rooted in southern California's sporting culture and are designed to keep costs low by leveraging existing infrastructure. 'There is great excitement and focus on the LA28 Games,' Sykes said. 'From the very top of the administration, they want this to be an incredibly successful experience.' Hirshland also confirmed the official certification of USA Football as the sport's new national governing body, positioning the United States to field teams in flag football, which will make its Olympic debut in 2028. 'We're pretty excited,' she said. 'We'd like to field an awfully strong team.' Meanwhile, the battle to determine an NGB for surfing continues. At least two organizations – USA Surfing and US Ski & Snowboard – have applied. Hirshland acknowledged concerns over potential conflicts of interest, but said the process is still underway and not without precedent. One notable omission from the committee's Washington discussions: the ongoing standoff between the United States and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), which escalated following revelations of the agency's handling of Chinese swimmer doping cases. Although several members of Congress have raised concerns over Wada's governance, Sykes said the issue did not come up in meetings with the State Department or Trump officials. 'We're intensely involved in discussions,' he said, 'and hopeful we can find a good resolution.' With just over three years until LA hosts the Summer Games for a third time, the USOPC now finds itself caught between competing pressures: the demands of international sport, the political agenda of its host government and a rapidly shifting public conversation around fairness, inclusion, and access. The groundwork for 2028 is underway, but the rules of the game may still be in flux.
The Guardian
17-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US Olympic committee sidesteps transgender athlete policy amid LA28 buildup
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has said it will not set any policy on transgender athlete eligibility ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games, despite growing political pressure from the Trump administration and increasing scrutiny over access and inclusion in women's sport. Speaking Thursday after the committee's first board meeting of 2025, chief executive Sarah Hirshland said the USOPC had no plans to define eligibility criteria, even as US president Donald Trump's Executive Order 14201 – titled Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports – threatens to upend international participation protocols. 'It wouldn't be appropriate,' Hirshland said. 'It's not our role to take on that position.' Responsibility for athlete eligibility, she said, falls to international federations in global events and national governing bodies (NGBs) in domestic competitions. That distinction, long upheld by the USOPC, has now become a political tightrope. LA28's host contract requires the United States to guarantee access for all qualified athletes – an obligation that could clash with the new federal order, which bars transgender women from competing in women's categories if they went through male puberty. Board chair Gene Sykes said the committee had received 'significant reassurances' from the White House and State Department that visa access for Olympic athletes and entourages would be protected, though he confirmed transgender-specific concerns were not raised during recent meetings with the administration. 'One of the key topics on our agenda was the feedback we received from the State Department regarding the president's executive order,' Sykes said. 'As a board, we reaffirmed our commitment to protecting opportunities for athletes to participate in sport … [and] to ensuring women have a fair and safe competitive environment.' The transgender eligibility question was underscored by recent controversy in USA Fencing, where an athlete forfeited rather than compete against a transgender woman at a domestic tournament. Asked if the USOPC would intervene, Hirshland again deferred. 'We do not have, nor will we have, an eligibility policy,' she said. Still, the USOPC has been lobbying on other fronts. While in Washington, Sykes and Hirshland pressed lawmakers for support of Olympic sports on college campuses, amid fears that changes to NCAA governance could reduce opportunities in non-revenue sports. Despite the political turbulence, the committee presented an optimistic outlook on LA28 preparations. The organizing committee has secured more than $1bn in commercial deals, Sykes said, crossing the halfway point of its domestic sponsorship target. More announcements are expected in the coming months. Venue planning has also firmed up. Sykes confirmed Tuesday's local organizing committee announcement that Dodger Stadium will host Olympic baseball, while Trestles Beach in San Clemente will serve as the venue for surfing. Both sites offer iconic backdrops rooted in southern California's sporting culture and are designed to keep costs low by leveraging existing infrastructure. 'There is great excitement and focus on the LA28 Games,' Sykes said. 'From the very top of the administration, they want this to be an incredibly successful experience.' Hirshland also confirmed the official certification of USA Football as the sport's new national governing body, positioning the United States to field teams in flag football, which will make its Olympic debut in 2028. 'We're pretty excited,' she said. 'We'd like to field an awfully strong team.' Meanwhile, the battle to determine an NGB for surfing continues. At least two organizations – USA Surfing and US Ski & Snowboard – have applied. Hirshland acknowledged concerns over potential conflicts of interest, but said the process is still underway and not without precedent. One notable omission from the committee's Washington discussions: the ongoing standoff between the United States and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), which escalated following revelations of the agency's handling of Chinese swimmer doping cases. Although several members of Congress have raised concerns over Wada's governance, Sykes said the issue did not come up in meetings with the State Department or Trump officials. 'We're intensely involved in discussions,' he said, 'and hopeful we can find a good resolution.' With just over three years until LA hosts the Summer Games for a third time, the USOPC now finds itself caught between competing pressures: the demands of international sport, the political agenda of its host government and a rapidly shifting public conversation around fairness, inclusion, and access. The groundwork for 2028 is underway, but the rules of the game may still be in flux.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Team USA Mourns Loss Of Figure Skaters On Flight That Collided With Helicopter
Team USA's CEO said she is 'devastated' by the news that several Olympic figure skating hopefuls were on the passenger flight that crashed in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. 'Today we join in mourning the profound loss of the passengers aboard Flight 5342 and all those impacted by this tragedy,' Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said in a statement on social media. 'We are devastated, and there are truly no words to capture the depth of our sorrow.' On Wednesday night, an American Airlines passenger jet collided with a military helicopter, likely killing everyone on board. U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that 'several' of its members were on the flight, but declined to specify how many. 'These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas,' a spokesperson for the organization, which serves as the sport's national governing body, said in a statement to HuffPost. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, two former Russian world champions in figure skating, were also on board the flight. They were living in the U.S. training young figure skaters in Boston. Doug Zeghibe, CEO and executive director of the Skating Club of Boston, told WCVB that 14 members of U.S. Figure Skating were on the plane. In Hirshland's statement, she mourned the athletes but didn't mention anyone by name. 'These Olympic hopefuls represented the bright future of Team USA, embodying the very essence of what it means to represent our country – perseverance, resilience and hope,' Hirshland said. 'They were remarkable young people and talents, passionately pursuing their dreams, and they will forever hold a cherished place in the Team USA family.' 'Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, and the communities that nurtured and supported them. We extend our sincerest condolences during this unimaginable time.' GOP Congressman Asks If DEI Played A Role In Tragic DC Plane Crash Donald Trump Goes On Rant About DEI In Response To DC Plane Crash No Survivors Expected After Passenger Jet Crashes With Helicopter Near DC Airport: Officials
