WNBA says there are no eligibility issues amid transgender debate
- The WNBA said there are no immediate eligibility issues affecting the league and denounced efforts to use the transgender debate to demean or marginalize others.
- The league said its anti-hate committee discussed transgender athletes, social media abuse, and ongoing vitriol directed at players.
- WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told team presidents and general managers last Friday that the league would continue conversations with stakeholders and the Players Association.
- The league’s collective bargaining agreement says only players who are women are eligible to play, but it does not add more specific language on gender identity or sex assigned at birth.
- The issue drew attention after two former NBA players said they were eligible for the WNBA draft and identified themselves as women, while some WNBA players and coaches voiced support for transgender athletes.
The WNBA said Wednesday that it has no immediate eligibility issues and rejected what it called bad-faith efforts to turn transgender participation into a divisive narrative. The statement came after the league’s anti-hate committee met virtually and reviewed topics that included transgender athletes and online abuse directed at players.
In a memo sent last Friday, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told team presidents and general managers that the league would continue discussing the issue with the Players Association and team leaders. She said the subject is complex and that the league would hold additional discussions and listening sessions in the coming weeks and months.
The league’s labor agreement says only women are eligible to play in the WNBA, but it does not spell out more detailed standards on gender identity or sex assigned at birth. The issue drew added attention after two former NBA players said they were eligible for the WNBA draft and identified as women, while some players and coaches, including Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, voiced support for transgender athletes.
WNBA表示在跨性别争议中目前没有资格问题
WNBA周三表示，联盟目前没有任何紧迫的参赛资格问题，并拒绝将跨性别参与问题包装成分裂性叙事的做法。此番表态发布前，联盟的反仇恨委员会刚刚举行线上会议，讨论了跨性别运动员以及针对球员的网络攻击等话题。
恩格尔伯特上周五在发给球队总裁和总经理的备忘录中说，联盟将继续与球员工会和球队管理层讨论这一议题。她表示，这一问题复杂，联盟将在未来数周和数月继续举行更多讨论和倾听会议。
联盟劳资协议写明只有女性可以参加WNBA，但没有对性别认同或出生时指定性别作出更细化的规定。此前，两名前NBA球员称自己符合WNBA选秀资格并认同为女性，使这一话题受到更多关注；与此同时，包括西雅图风暴中锋斯特凡妮·多尔森和明尼苏达山猫主教练谢丽尔·里夫在内的一些球员和教练公开表示支持跨性别运动员。