Georgia college regents call to ban transgender participation in women's sports

The leaders of Georgia's 26 public universities approved by vote to ask the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) to ban transgender participation in women's sports.

The Board of Regents was unanimous in its decision, motivated by protecting the effort and daily work put in by female athletes, citing the "competitive disadvantage" women would have if they had to compete against men.

In addition, the officials argued their ruling with the norms of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which says that only those who were born female, without having undergone any type of hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery, can participate in women's sporting events.

"A trans female student-athlete being treated with testosterone suppression medication for gender dysphoria for the purposes of NCAA competition may continue to compete on a men’s team but may not compete on a women’s team without changing it to a mixed team status until completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment," reads the NAIA policy, which qualifies that men's competition is open to anyone.

NCAA 'preserves opportunity'

For now, the NCAA has declined to make any statements or implement any new measures.

According to its current policy, updated in May, the NCAA wants to "[preserve] opportunity for transgender student-athletes while balancing fairness, inclusion and safety for all who compete" by allowing men to participate in women's sports.

The NCAA asks that all athletes "provide documentation that meets the 2010 NCAA policy plus meet the sport standard for documented testosterone levels."