Latest news with #USAV
Fox News
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
USA Volleyball's anti-woman agenda lives on, despite Trump's executive order
Volleyball season is upon us again. Last year's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) volleyball season was over politicized like never before, with NCAA and USA Volleyball (USAV) allowing a male athlete to dominate the Mountain West Conference on a Division One women's team. As a former USAV player myself, the disrespect and disregard for female athletes felt all too familiar. Throughout my athletic career and in my work in policy beyond that, I have come to know their morals intimately, and that is why I was not at all surprised when their new "gender policy" was a complete head fake, and possibly even more disrespectful than before. Sport governing bodies took a hard blow in February after their failures to protect female athletes from discrimination required presidential intervention. President Donald Trump ordered the secretary of state to see that the Olympic governing bodies ensure that eligibility for women's sports is determined according to sex, not "gender identity." After the USOPC clarified USAV, as a national governing body (NGB), is required to align with President Trump's executive order, USAV released their new gender competition policy. It says, "USAV athlete members are expected to participate or compete in all USAV sanctioned events or activities as a member of the gender assigned at the time of birth on their birth certificate." At first glance, it may appear they finally did the right thing. But the policy not only conflicts with the executive order (because you can alter your birth certificate in most states), but it violates the purpose of the entire effort. USA Volleyball does not even acknowledge that sex exists, opting for the Orwellian "sex assigned at birth" narrative. Their "gender competition policy" treats a foundational component of humanity as if it is as arbitrary as your favorite color. To them, "gender" is just an F or M blindly assigned on a document. The policy even says athletes can "change their Profile gender at any time," though that will not necessarily change their eligibility status. Additionally, their website is still plastered with anti-woman propaganda including a documentary trailer featuring a young child who altered their birth certificate (the very loophole we are discussing in the new USAV policy), and links to left-wing political advocacy groups like GLAAD, The Trevor Project, and Gender Spectrum. Sure, there will likely be fewer men competing in women's volleyball because of their new policy. That is surely a win. But it is hard to see this as a pro-woman shift inside USAV. In fact, it is quite the opposite. USAV is digging their heels in the ground. They are dead set on doing the least they are legally required for their female athletes. (Who, by the way, are consistently shattering attendance and viewership records and bringing women's athletics to new heights.) Their anti-woman agenda is not new. In fact, I had to play against a male athlete while playing under USA Volleyball in high school. It was during the heat of my recruiting process, so the embarrassing display of contrast between our skill could have knocked me out of my scholarship entirely. The physical dangers here are obvious, too, as he was playing on a net seven inches shorter than the men's net, with his dominant physical advantages. From that day on, I began petitioning for reform in women's sports that safeguards sex-based protections. It has been over six years, and it is shameful both that women have been ignored, and that it required the presidential pen to get any kind of response. Thanks to President Trump, we have a clear path forward. In his first day in office, he acknowledged "efforts to eradicate the biological reality of sex fundamentally attack women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, and well-being." He also asserted, "It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female." This is the core of the modern women's rights movement. This is what USAV is missing. As long as they deny the reality of sex, they will deny us the dignity we deserve. Unfortunately for them, female athletes like me are in for the long haul. We will continue to appeal until we see our governing bodies truly championing female athletes. We deserve as much. Whether that's passing Congressman Greg Steube's "Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act," an overhaul of USA Volleyball's woke leadership, or revoking their USOPC membership altogether, we will not stop fighting until fairness and women's dignity are restored for female sports at every level.
Fox News
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
USA Volleyball complies with Trump's executive order, bans trans athletes from girls' and women's competition
USA Volleyball (USAV) has become the latest organization to change its gender eligibility policy to align itself with President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at barring transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports. The latest policy change, which takes effect immediately, states that all members of USAV "are expected to participate or compete in all USAV-sanctioned events or activities as a member of the gender assigned at the time of birth on their birth certificate." The change effectively bans transgender athletes from competition as a response to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which quietly updated its guidance on Monday to require that all national sports governing bodies comply with the president'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 letter. "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." USA Fencing was one of the first organizations to announce this week that it was updating its gender eligibility policy to comply with the USOPC's new guidance. USAV followed suit on Thursday, adding that the change puts the organization "into compliance" with federal law. USAV's previous gender eligibility policy for the 2024-2025 season previously stated that the "vast majority of athletes are expected to compete as a member of the gender assigned at the time of birth on their birth certificate." However, transgender athletes were permitted to compete in USAV-sanctioned events if they met certain criteria. That requirement list included informing USAV at least six weeks prior to competition, a statement "that they wish to compete in the gender opposite that of their birth," another statement from a treating physician, including medical records, and lab reports of testosterone levels for any athletes over the age of 13. For the last requirement, athletes assigned male at birth wishing to compete in women's events were required to prove that testosterone levels did not exceed "the upper limit of the normal female reference range for their age group." For adults over 18, testosterone levels were to be "less than 10 nmol/L for a minimum of 1 year prior" prior to the competition or event. The new policy change strictly limits athletes to competitions that align with the gender on their original birth certificate. It will apply to all USAV-sanctioned events in the U.S. The president signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order on Feb. 5. Since then, several sports governing bodies have taken action to comply with the federal law. The NCAA was the first, announcing a policy change the day after Trump signed the order. Following a months-long investigation, the University of Pennsylvania also made changes, and at least 24 states have implemented legislation banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports.
Time Business News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Time Business News
What Is the Official Height of a Volleyball Net
Volleyball is governed by precise rules that standardize court dimensions and equipment across all levels of play. One question that often arises is, 'What is the official height of a volleyball net?' The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) dictates two primary official net heights: for men's competition, the top of the net must be exactly 2.43 meters (7 feet 11⅝ inches) above the court surface; for women's competition, it must measure 2.24 meters (7 feet 4⅛ inches). These heights apply to both indoor and beach volleyball under international regulation. Setting the official height of a volleyball net requires calibrated measurement tools. Referees typically carry a standardized tape measure or a laser gauge, ensuring that the measurement is taken precisely at the center of the net. Although the net attaches to posts on either side of the court—separated by 9.5 to 10 meters—the measurement tolerance is strict: a deviation of more than 2 centimeters (¾ inch) from the designated height constitutes a fault, mandating immediate adjustment. This precision preserves fairness and ensures all matches—whether local tournaments or international championships—adhere to uniform standards. Youth leagues and developmental programs often use modified net heights to suit younger athletes. In USAV junior divisions, boys aged 13–14 compete at 2.35 meters (7 feet 8½ inches), gradually transitioning toward the full men's height. Similarly, girls in that age group play at 2.24 meters, aligning with the adult women's standard. Players under 12 may see net heights as low as 2.10 meters (6 feet 10¾ inches) to foster skill development by allowing more rally interactions and successful attack attempts. Beach volleyball maintains the same official height of a volleyball net as indoor play: 2.43 meters for men and 2.24 meters for women. Despite sand conditions that hamper vertical leaping, professional and collegiate beach players adapt their training to master spike timing and block footwork. Amateur or recreational beach leagues sometimes adopt intermediate or adjustable heights (e.g., 2.35 meters) for coed events, balancing competitive equity between male and female participants. Mesh netting, top tape, and side bands must remain identical in width and color for beach and indoor nets, ensuring visibility and consistency. Adaptive formats such as sitting volleyball also specify an official net height, albeit much lower. The FIVB recognizes sitting volleyball as a Paralympic sport with court dimensions of 10×6 meters—smaller than stand-up volleyball. In this format, the men's net is set at 1.15 meters (3 feet 9¼ inches), and the women's net at 1.05 meters (3 feet 5½ inches). Players remain seated with their pelvis in contact with the floor when playing and blocking; the reduced net height emphasizes speed, agility, and ball control rather than jumping. In recreational and community centers, portable net systems often cater to various official heights. Telescopic posts allow net adjustment from 1.80 meters (5 feet 11 inches) up to 2.45 meters (8 feet). Users should verify attachment points against a reliable measuring tape to ensure they replicate the official height of a volleyball net when preparing for competitive play. Regular inspection of winch mechanisms, cables, and mesh condition is essential; a frayed cable can lead to an unintended sag, inadvertently lowering the net below regulation height. In conclusion, the official height of a volleyball net serves as a cornerstone of standardized play: 2.43 meters for men's indoor and beach competition, 2.24 meters for women's indoor and beach competition, and 1.15/1.05 meters for men's and women's sitting volleyball, respectively. Youth and recreational leagues may use adjusted heights to accommodate developing skills or coed balance, but competitive integrity hinges on strict adherence to these FIVB-defined measurements. By recognizing and implementing these official net heights, helps athletes, coaches, and facilities maintain consistent, fair, and challenging volleyball environments. o4-mini TIME BUSINESS NEWS
