Fencer Disqualified After Refusing to Compete Against Transgender Opponent
Stephanie Turner, an experienced fencer, has addressed her recent disqualification from a USA Fencing-sanctioned tournament held in Maryland on March 30, following her refusal to compete against a transgender athlete. Turner took a knee before the bout, protesting the inclusion of her scheduled opponent, Redmond Sullivan, a transgender woman. This action led the referee to issue a black card, a sanction that resulted in her immediate disqualification from the competition.
In a subsequent interview, Turner stated that her protest was a deliberate and premeditated act. Upon discovering she would face Sullivan in the bracket, she resolved to demonstrate her objection publicly. Before the match began, she removed her fencing mask, knelt on the piste, and informed the referee she would not participate in the bout.
Turner explained that her decision was rooted in concerns over fairness in women’s sports, claiming she faced a physical disadvantage. She expressed that, as a cisgender woman, she believed the competition would not be equitable.
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According to Turner, Sullivan initially believed she might have been injured, misunderstanding the nature of her protest. She recounted telling Sullivan that while she had respect for her as a person, she could not, in good conscience, fence against her due to what Turner described as fundamental differences in physiology and competition categories.
Turner was informed by tournament officials that her actions constituted a violation of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) rules, specifically Article t.113, which prohibits fencers from refusing to compete against an eligible opponent. She was given a copy of USA Fencing’s transgender athlete policy, asked to sign documentation acknowledging her disqualification, and then escorted from the venue.
USA Fencing later confirmed that Turner’s disqualification was based solely on her refusal to compete, not on any personal views she expressed. The organization reiterated that all athletes, regardless of gender identity, must be treated equally under the rules of the sport. Their policy, introduced in 2023, allows transgender women to participate in female categories after meeting specific medical criteria, including at least one year of hormone suppression therapy.
Sullivan’s fencing club stated that she had fully complied with all guidelines established by both USA Fencing and the international governing body, and emphasized that athletes like her are entitled to fair and respectful participation in competitive fencing.
The incident has sparked a broader national conversation about the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. Prominent voices, such as tennis icon Martina Navratilova, have weighed in, publicly supporting Turner and criticizing the governing body’s decision.
A Gallup poll conducted in 2023 found that a majority of Americans believe athletes should compete based on their sex assigned at birth, reflecting the continued polarization of this issue within both the sporting world and the public at large.
As debates continue, USA Fencing has encouraged respectful dialogue within the community, maintaining that the principles of fairness, inclusion, and adherence to international rules remain central to the organization’s mission.
People continued to debate whether Turner was right to refuse to compete against Sullivan
