NCAA transgender participation policy 'is a colossal act of cowardice,' women's groups say

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Women’s groups slammed the NCAA’s decision to update its transgender participation policy, accusing the organization of "passing the buck" when it said the policy will be determined on a sport-by-sport basis.

The NCAA policy starts with the 2022 winter championship and transgender athletes "will need to document sport-specific testosterone levels beginning four weeks before their sport's championship selections." The NCAA said if there was no international federation policy then the "previously established IOC policy criteria would be followed."

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The NCAA logo is displayed at center court at The Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

The Independent Women’s Law Center (ILWC) and Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) condemned the NCAA for adopting the approach in a statement Thursday

"The NCAA’s decision to endorse the participation of biological men in women’s sports, while making each sporting body decide the particular rules for participation, is a colossal act of cowardice. Make no mistake, by asking female athletes to step aside to make room for biological males, the NCAA discriminates against women," IWLC director Jennifer C. Braceras said in a statement.

IWF and IWLC senior policy analyst Inez Stepman: "Allowing biological males to compete in women’s events not only reduces opportunities for females, it undermines the entire rationale behind single-sex competition. It’s time for athletic governing bodies to stand up for women’s sports."

The IWLC and IWF said they conducted a report in the summer that said hormone therapy didn’t "eliminate the male athletic