NAIA trans-athlete ban prohibits non-ciswomen from competing in women’s sports

(ABC 6 News) – Big news came from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Their council unanimously voted to adopt a ban on transgender women athletes playing women’s sports, becoming the first college sports organization to implement this policy.

Under the new policy, only NAIA students who’s sex at birth is female may participate in women’s sports.

The new policy also bans people assigned female at birth who have begun taking testosterone from competing as well, though they are allowed to participate in team activities.

Officials said the policy is about providing fair competition for all athletes to compete and would apply to all sports except for cheer and dance.

The NAIA oversees over 83,000 athletes in more than 25 sports, including Waldorf University in Forest City.

The new transgender participation policy will take effect in August.