WNBA Says It Will Address Transgender Athlete Issue Amid Growing Debate
The WNBA said there are no current eligibility concerns and condemned attempts to politicize transgender participation, while planning further discussions with stakeholders.
The Women’s National Basketball Association issued a statement on Wednesday rejecting attempts to frame transgender participation as a controversy. A league spokesperson said there are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA and denounced “bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.”
The league’s collective bargaining agreement limits eligibility to players who are women, without specifying gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Last week, former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White announced they consider themselves eligible for the upcoming draft, which is scheduled for April.
The WNBA’s anti-hate task force, formed last year to address online abuse, met virtually and discussed a range of issues, including social-media vitriol and transgender athletes. The league said it will continue to engage stakeholders and hold listening sessions in the coming weeks.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo to team presidents and general managers indicating that the league will keep the conversation ongoing with the Players Association. “We recognize that this is a complex and nuanced topic, and we will continue to have important conversations with all of you and the Players Association in the weeks and months ahead,” she wrote.
Players and coaches have expressed differing views. Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve voiced support for transgender athletes, with Reeve calling it a human-rights issue. In contrast, Indiana Fever forward Sophie Cunningham previously advocated barring transgender women from women’s sports, prompting protests during the team’s recent road trip. Many players have chosen not to comment.