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Basketball
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has condemned those using the transgender athlete debate to create division, speaking out before Indiana Fever faced the Dallas Wings in Dallas.
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Cathy Engelbert, the WNBA's top official, has taken direct aim at those she says are weaponising the transgender athlete debate to sow division within the sport. Speaking ahead of the Indiana Fever's clash with the Dallas Wings, the commissioner delivered her most pointed public remarks on the issue to date.
Demonstrators once again gathered outside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, echoing scenes from recent games. The protests were sparked by Fever guard Sophie Cunningham's public stance calling for transgender girls and women to be barred from competing in women's sport.
The WNBA released a statement last week pushing back against what it characterised as bad faith attempts to question the eligibility of transgender athletes and marginalise others. Engelbert's comments marked her first personal intervention since that statement landed.
Under the current collective bargaining agreement, only players who are women are permitted to compete in the league - but the agreement contains no specific provisions around gender identity or sex assigned at birth.
The debate escalated earlier this month when ex-NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft, claiming they identify as women. Engelbert has since briefed team presidents and general managers, confirming the league intends to formally address the question of transgender women's participation in women's basketball.
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Eva Hernández, Editor-in-Chief
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