Texas AG sues NCAA over transgender athletes in women's sports

(CN) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the National Collegiate Athletics Association over its policies allowing some transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports, accusing the student athletics regulator of false advertising by allowing “biological males” to compete in events labeled as women’s competitions.

“The NCAA is intentionally and knowingly jeopardizing the safety and wellbeing of women by deceptively changing women’s competitions into co-ed competitions,” Paxton said in a statement announcing the lawsuit, filed Sunday in Lubbock County District Court.

He added, “When people watch a women’s volleyball game, for example, they expect to see women playing against other women — not biological males pretending to be something they are not. Radical ‘gender theory’ has no place in college sports.”

The NCAA updated its policy regarding transgender athletes in January 2022 to align with the policies of the Olympic Movement, with eligibility being determined by the governing bodies for individual sports. Similar to previous guidelines set in 2010, transgender female athletes are required to take testosterone-suppressing medication for at least a year before competing in women’s events. Under the new guidelines, they are also required to show documented testosterone levels that meet sport-specific standards before competing.

Charlie Baker, the NCAA’s president, testified before Congress earlier this month that he was aware of fewer than 10 transgender athletes who currently compete in NCAA events.In his lawsuit, Paxton claims the NCAA’s policy allowing some transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports violates the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. He seeks a permanent injunction barring the NCAA from allowing transgender women to compete on women’s sports teams at Texas colleges or in women’s sporting events in Texas.

Alternatively, Paxton asks that the court prohibit the NCAA from using the term “women” in relation to teams or competitions in Texas where transgender women are allowed to compete.

Earlier this year, Texas passed a law requiring college athletes to play on sports teams associated with their gender assigned at birth.

NCAA spokeswoman Michelle Hosick said in a statement that while the organization does not comment on pending litigation, “the association and its members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition in all NCAA championships.”