Latest news with #forfeit
Fox News
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Women's volleyball activists react to California high school team forfeiting to opponent with trans athlete
A high school girls' volleyball team in California garnered national attention on Friday when its players forfeited to a team with a trans athlete on its roster. Now, three women who saw their own volleyball careers affected by a trans competitor have spoken out in response. Riverside Poly High School announced its girls' volleyball team forfeited to Jurupa Valley High School's team, which rosters well-known trans teen AB Hernandez. Riverside Poly did not cite a specific reason for the forfeit in its statement, but multiple parents and a school board member told Fox News Digital it was due to the presence of the trans athlete. Former high school girls' volleyball player and current activist Payton McNabb suffered permanent brain damage after being spiked in the head by a male opponent in a 2022 game. McNabb commended the Riverside Poly girls for refusing to take the court against Jurupa Valley. "I applaud these girls! They were put in a situation no young athlete should ever face – choosing between their safety and their sport. I've been there. I still live with the consequences of being injured by a male athlete on the court. There's a reason the boys' net is seven inches higher – because the game is different," McNabb told Fox News Digital. "What these girls did took real courage, and it's devastating that they're the ones paying the price for decisions made by adults." Two former women's college volleyball players who forfeited games to a team with a trans athlete last season also praised the Riverside Poly players. San Jose State University's women's volleyball team saw seven of its games forfeited by opponents amid a national controversy involving trans athlete Blaire Fleming. One of the teams to forfeit to SJSU was the Univeristy of Wyoming, which sacrificed an Oct. 5 game as the controversy involving Fleming grew. Former Wyoming player Macey Boggs told Fox News Digital she stands with the Riverside Poly players. "It takes courage to stand up. I'm so proud of them for doing what is right. Women fought for us in the past and it's time for this generation to step up and fight for the women to come. It is refreshing to see this and very encouraging. I look up to these women. And I will continue to stand unapologetically for the truth with them," Boggs said. Meanwhile, the University of Nevada, Reno women's volleyball players had to fight their own school just for the right to forfeit against SJSU later that month. The Nevada players approached university administrators privately to express their desire to forfeit the match and join four other programs that refused to play SJSU. But Nevada did not honor that request and instead released a statement insisting it would play the match. Nevada ultimately forfeited the day before the match, due to not having enough players. However, the university previously told Fox news Digital it had discussions with the players about potential "legal issues" that would emerge if the match were not played. Nevada captain Sia Liilii led her players in their resistance to face SJSU last season, and took on a key public role in the national debate over trans athletes in women's sports that partially defined the 2024 election season. Liilii met with GOP lawmakers during the conflict with her school, and gave an emotional speech at a press conference speaking out against her school the day the game was supposed to be played on Oct. 26. Now, Liilii says she "applauds" the Riverside Poly players for their stand. "I would like to applaud the Riverside Poly Volleyball team for standing up for themselves by sacrificing a loss for the future of girls' and women's sports. I would also like to commend its school administration for prioritizing the rights and safety of their female student athletes, something I was not afforded by my university when faced with this situation. I am proud to say I stand with the Riverside Poly Volleyball team!" Liilii told Fox News Digital. Months after the SJSU volleyball season ended, Hernandez was the focus of a national media firestorm in May during the athlete's run to a California girls track and field championship. The postseason meets that Hernandez competed in were met with protests by female athletes and their families, who often wore "Save Girls Sports" shirts. Hernandez's run seemingly drew a response from President Donald Trump, who posted a Truth Social message the week leading up to the state final advising the state not to allow a trans athlete to compete. Trump did not reference Hernandez directly in the post. In response to Trump's warning, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) amended its policies in the days prior to the event to ensure that any female athlete who finished behind a trans athlete at the championship would be bumped up one spot. This resulted in Hernandez sharing the first-place spots on the medal podium in high jump and triple jump, and the second-place podium spot in long jump at the state meet. However, in July, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Education (CDE) and CIF for its policies that have allowed biological males to compete in girls' sports across the state despite Trump signing an executive order in February to prohibit it. Jurupa Valley provided a statement to Fox News Digital Friday addressing Riverside Poly's forfeit. "We were notified that Riverside Poly High School canceled today's scheduled girls volleyball match with Jurupa Valley High School. They did not disclose the reason. We have no additional comment at this time," the statement said. Jurupa Valley's next girls' volleyball game is set for Aug. 25 against Rim of The World High School.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The best fantasy football forfeits for 2025/26: From Ronaldo haircuts to open mic humiliations
Nick Elliott Published: Invalid Date, DREAM TEAM is best enjoyed when played in Mini Leagues against your friends. As well as battling it out for bragging rights at the top of the table, why not spice things up with a forfeit for the loser? 4 The threat of a forfeit should ensure everyone remains engaged throughout the campaign and the ultimate pay-off of watching your mate endure a partially/fully humiliating experience can be a magical moment. Allow us to present some forfeit ideas of varying intensity. PERFORM A STAND-UP COMEDY SET AT AN OPEN MIC NIGHT This one only works if everyone in your Mini League has at least a mild aversion to public speaking. Head down to your nearest open mic night and watch as your friend attempts to make dozens of strangers laugh (the bigger the crowd the better) over the course of five excruciating minutes. Try to stifle your laughter while they're on stage - it'll work better as a forfeit if their 'jokes' are met with total silence. This is an increasingly popular forfeit among fantasy football managers. Once the Mini League standings are confirmed, the loser has to spend 24 hours at their nearest open-all-hours McDonald's. They can reduce their time by eating certain items - one hour for a large Big Mac meal, 15 minutes for a McFlurry, etc - but the more they eat the more full and uncomfortable they'll become. The rest of you might want to keep the loser company in shifts or you could simply request regular photos/videos as proof the punishment is being served in full. GET YOUR HAIRCUT LIKE RONALDO IN 2002 This one is a classic for a reason. The legendary Brazilian striker fired his nation to World Cup glory in 2002 but even amid such greatness, the haircut was deemed an absolute shocker by all. It's up to you how long the loser has to keep the dodgy barnet but one big night out is surely the absolute minimum. Complete the look with an old Brazil shirt or simply let the hair (or lack thereof) do the talking - it's up to you. GET A TATTOO For those who prefer something a little more permanent, why not book a slot at the local tattoo parlour? The world is your oyster in terms of the actual design; you could opt for a simple 'LOSER' label or a more descriptive 'DREAM TEAM MINI LEAGUE LOSER 2025/26'. Get creative! 'RAW DOG' A LONG TRAIN JOURNEY You might decide that Mini League failure deserves to be met with a test of psychological endurance. If your group lives in the south of England, for example, make the loser get a train to Scotland and back the same day with photographic evidence as proof (beware Photoshop cheats). Ramp up the punishment by restricting what they can take on board with them: no snacks, no books, no laptops, nothing that could be construed as entertainment. Ideally, it should just be them, the train, and a heavy sense of regret. The loser hands over control of their social media accounts to the rest of the group for an afternoon/day/weekend. We're sure you can be trusted not to take it too far... APOLOGISE TO 500 PEOPLE It's important the loser seeks forgiveness for their poor performance. Have them apologise to 500 people with a set phrase of your choosing, something like: "I finished last in my Dream Team Mini League. I'm sorry I disappointed you. I will try better next season." The apologies have to be personal, face-to-face interactions with strangers - they can't just shout through a megaphone in the town centre and claim it's done. Add a humiliating outfit to ram the point home. 4
