Latest news with #StephanieTurner
Daily Mail
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Female fencer who refused to face trans rival sends gushing message to Trump after dramatic Team USA reversal
Stephanie Turner would do it all over again. The fencer who was disqualified and suspended over her refusal to face a transgender opponent at a USA Fencing event in April initially feared she'd ruined her life with the decision. 'This has caused so much of a hindrance to my life personally, and it's caused me so much emotional turmoil that I'm just so glad this is over and that there are a lot of women and girls out there who are very appreciative of this victory,' Turner, a Maryland native and self-described former Democrat, told Fox News. Since her suspension, Turner testified before a House Oversight DOGE Subcommittee hearing on the subject in May, while Team USA and USA Fencing have both changed policy regarding transgender athletes in women's competition. Effective August 1, USA Fencing will allow only 'athletes who are of the female sex' in women's competition. Meanwhile, men's events will be open to 'all athletes not eligible for the women's category, including transgender women, transgender men, non-binary and intersex athletes and cisgender male athletes.' Turner now says she has no regrets over her protest and credits USA Fencing's decision to President Donald Trump and his executive order rescinding funding to organizations that allow transgender athletes to compete with women and girls. 'I just have to say thank you [to Trump],' Turner said. 'I voted for him, and this was a huge reason why I voted for him. And to see him come through for me and for women and girls so soon into his administration, it just, I mean, that's a huge victory. I've never seen politics work in my favor immediately, effectively, efficiently. … I'm just so grateful for that executive order.' The advocacy group that represents Turner, The Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS), is now pushing for mandatory gender screenings for all female athletes. 'The next critical step is for the USOPC to implement sex screening protocols,' read a group statement. 'This will ensure that women are guaranteed equal, fair and safe opportunities in athletic competition. ICONS will not rest until every girl, at every level, in every sport has access to fair competition and privacy in locker rooms. 'The U.S. has a chance to be a leader in standing up for the fair treatment of women around the world.' Gender screenings typically rely on genetic testing and involve a cheek swab. Critics have argued that the process could discriminate against those with intersex characteristics since birth. Speaking with Fox, Turner echoed support for genetic testing. 'Enforcement of this policy is going to be essential,' Turner said. 'You can't rely on documentation anymore. You can't rely on drivers license(s), you can't rely on birth certificates because those can all be edited.' The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee banned transgender women from competing in women's sports earlier this week, telling various federations it has an 'obligation to comply' with Trump's executive order. 'As a federally chartered organization, we have an obligation to comply with federal expectations,' USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland and President Gene Sykes wrote in a statement. 'Our revised policy emphasizes the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environments for women. All National Governing Bodies are required to update their applicable policies in alignment.'
Fox News
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Former star gymnast reacts to Team USA following Trump's executive order to protect women's sports
Former American women's gymnast Dee Worley broke her silence on the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) updating its policies to suggest it will comply with President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order. 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. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON "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. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "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." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter .
Fox News
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter: Fencing star who took a knee reacts to Team USA's transgender policy shift
Print Close By Fox News Staff Published July 23, 2025 Welcome to the Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter. SPEAKING OUT – Stephanie Turner spoke to Fox News Digital about the change to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee policy concerning transgender athletes. The decision happened several months after Turner knelt when she was paired with a transgender opponent in a fencing event. Continue reading … POLICY CHANGE – The US Olympic and Paralympic committee announced it will block transgender athletes from participating in competitions in the women's categories. Officials cited President Trump's executive order during the policy change announcement. Continue reading … FIRING BACK – Former NCAA athlete and host of OutKick's "Gaines for Girls" podcast Riley Gaines responded to critics after she swam alongside Navy SEALs in the San Francisco Bay after receiving medical clearance from her OBGYN. Continue reading … COMPETITIVE IMBALANCE – Maryland football coach Mike Locksley admitted name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments created "haves and have-nots" within the locker room during the Terrapins disappointing 2024 season. Continue reading … SCARY MOMENT – NFL offensive lineman Bayron Matos suffered an undisclosed injury on the first day of the Miami Dolphins training camp. Matos was airlifted to a hospital where he was listed in stable condition. Continue reading … HOLD OUT – Trey Hendrickson did not report for the opening of Cincinnati Bengals training camp. The star edge rusher wants a contract extension. Bengals owner Mike Brown said the team wants Hendrickson to continue being a part of the team despite "tough" negotiations. Continue reading … FORGETTABLE GAME – The Chicago Sky suffered a loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, but much of the post-game chatter centered around star forward Angel Reese's turnovers. Continue reading … FROM FOX SPORTS – Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shared his thoughts amid the slow-moving contract extension talks with Micah Parsons. If the two sides do eventually reach an agreement on a new deal, it would likely make the linebacker one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL. Continue reading … FROM OUTKICK – President Donald Trump has threatened to nix the stadium deal, which could return the Washington Commanders to D.C., unless the storied NFL franchise restores its former name. Continue reading … WATCH NOW – FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd discusses how the Dallas Cowboys would be potentially reshaped if longtime team owner Jerry Jones relinquished his general manager role. Watch here … FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Instagram YouTube Twitter LinkedIn SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS Fox News First Fox News Opinion Fox News Lifestyle Fox News Health DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Fox News Fox Business Fox Weather Fox Sports Tubi WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE Fox News Go OUTKICK COVERAGE OutKick Sign up for OutKick's daily newsletter STREAM FOX NATION Fox Nation Print Close URL
Fox News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Fencer reacts to new Olympic trans athlete policy: 'Common sense is prevailing'
Competitive fencer Stephanie Turner discusses the U.S. Olympic Committee's decision to bar transgender women from women's sports on 'America's Newsroom.'
Fox News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Fencer who went viral for protest of trans athlete reacts to Team USA following Trump's women's sports order
Women's fencer Stephanie Turner believed she was "ruining her life" when she chose to kneel in protest of a transgender competitor at a USA Fencing event in late March. But after nearly four months, a congressional hearing on the subject and, now, a revision in Team USA's transgender participation policy that surfaced Tuesday, Turner says she "absolutely" would do it all again. U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) updated its policies on Tuesday to suggest it will comply with President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order. "This has caused so much of a hindrance to my life personally, and it's caused me so much emotional turmoil that I'm just so glad this is over and that there are a lot of women and girls out there who are very appreciative of this victory," Turner told Fox News Digital. "I just have to say thank you [to Trump]. I voted for him, and this was a huge reason why I voted for him. And to see him come through for me and for women and girls so soon into his administration, it just, I mean, that's a huge victory. I've never seen politics work in my favor immediately, effectively, efficiently. … I'm just so grateful for that executive order." Still, Turner said that the change taking as long as it did is "disappointing" to her. For Turner, a former longtime Democrat and Maryland native, Trump in 2024 was the first Republican she's voted for. She says she "shudders" to think where she'd be if she and other former Democrats didn't vote for Trump in 2024. Still, Turner and her support group are calling for further measures by the USOPC after the recent policy change. The Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS), the advocacy group that represents Turner, released a statement Tuesday calling for mandatory sex screening for all women's athletes to enforce Trump's executive order effectively. "The next critical step is for the USOPC to implement sex screening protocols. This will ensure that women are guaranteed equal, fair and safe opportunities in athletic competition. ICONS will not rest until every girl, at every level, in every sport has access to fair competition and privacy in locker rooms," the statement said."The U.S. has a chance to be a leader in standing up for the fair treatment of women around the world." Turner is also calling for mandatory testing. "Enforcement of this policy is going to be essential," Turner said. Turner pointed to karyotyping, a test that examines the chromosomes in a sample of cells, as a necessary form of testing. "You can't rely on documentation anymore. You can't rely on drivers license(s), you can't rely on birth certificates because those can all be edited," Turner said. Turner helped ignite an avalanche of backlash against one of the USOPC's major governing bodies, USA Fencing, when she released footage of her viral protest in April. Turner was disqualified and given a black card for her refusal to face the trans opponent, prompting backlash against USA Fencing. The controversy was then the subject of a federal hearing May 7. Turner testified against USA Fencing Chair Damien Lehfeldt at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee's hearing, "Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports." In early June, USA Fencing's Board of Directors voted to amend its previous policy that prioritized states with LGBTQ-friendly laws for host sites for competitions and a policy that may have prevented the playing of the national anthem at some events. Both of those policies were highly criticized in the aftermath of Turner's viral protest. Then, the very next week, two USA Fencing directors filed a lawsuit against the other six at-large members, alleging Lehfeldt made false statements to Congress at the May 7 hearing. The plaintiffs, Andrey Geva and Abdel Salem, each have long ties to the sport and organization, previously coaching or competing for Team USA. This week, USA Fencing became one of the first organizations to make an official announcement that referenced the USOPC's new policy. On July 18, 2025, the USOPC released new athlete safety guidelines that all national governing bodies must follow under a federal executive order issued by the president earlier this year. For Turner, her involvement in the issue began in her home state of Maryland the last weekend of March, when she was matched up against the transgender opponent, Redmond Sullivan, at the Cherry Blossom Open. When Turner knelt in front of Sullivan, she says she told Sullivan, "I have much love and respect for you, but I will not fence you." Now, as she reflects on the issue, Turner has a message she would give Sullivan after Tuesday's news. "I hope he understands that what he did was cheating, and it was not fair to women and girls. I also want him to know that I don't hate him personally. This was never about him and me. This was really about the issue and the policy at hand," Turner said. "And if I am angry at anybody, I'm angry at his enablers and the people who have allowed this policy to go on for so long."
