A fencer competing at an event in Maryland was hit with the sport's most severe penalty after she refused to join in a match with a transgender opponent.
Stephanie Turner was competing at the Cherry Blossom Open event in Maryland over the weekend when she looked at the competition pools and learned she was set to take on Redmond Sullivan, a transgender athlete.
After seeing the match-up, Turner made the decision that she would not take on Sullivan, but she didn't make her intentions known until the day of the match.
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Speaking to Fox News Digital about her decision, Sullivan said: "I saw that I was going to be in a pool with Redmond, and from there I said, ‘OK, let’s do it. I'm going to take the knee.'"
On the day the two athletes were supposed to meet, Turner went through all her warm-ups and took part in four bouts before she came face to face with Sullivan.
As the two met on the piste, Turner took her mask off and got down on one knee in a show of protest.
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Recalling how her opponent reacted, Turner said: "Redmond was under the impression that I was going to start fencing. So when I took the knee, I looked at the ref and I said, ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women's tournament. And I will not fence this individual.'"
Turner claimed she 'knew' she had to take a knee because 'USA Fencing had not been listening to women's objections' when it comes to the organization's gender eligibility policy.
Turner claimed she told Redmond she had 'much love and respect' for her, but simply would 'not fence' her.
She continued: "Redmond says to me, ‘Well you know, there is a member on the board of directors here who supports me, and there is a policy that acknowledges me as a woman, so I am allowed to fence, and you will get blackcarded,’ and I said, 'I know.'"
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Just as Redmond warned, referees at the event responded by giving Turner a black card; the most severe penalty in the sport, which can lead to expulsion from the event for serious rule infractions or unsportsmanlike behavior. In a statement to UNILAD, a spokesperson for USA Fencing said Turner was not penalized for her protest, but for simply refusing to fence an 'eligible opponent'.
"According to the FIE (International Fencing Federation) Technical Rules, specifically Article t.113, a fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason," the spokesperson said. "Under these rules, such a refusal results in disqualification and the corresponding sanctions. This policy exists to maintain fair competition standards and preserve the sport’s integrity."
After receiving the black card, Turner said she was then taken in front of the bout committee to explain her behavior, where she was allegedly handed a copy of the association's transgender policy and made to sign a document acknowledging the black card.
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Though Turner knew she was going to receive a black card, she alleged that she signed the document under objection. She was then escorted out of the venue.
In a statement following Turner's controversial actions, USA Fencing added: "USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day.
"We understand that the conversation on equity and inclusion pertaining to transgender participation in sport is evolving. USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion, and we’re committed to amending the policy as more relevant evidence-based research emerges, or as policy changes take effect in the wider Olympic & Paralympic movement.
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"We respect the viewpoints on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the matter evolves. It's important for the fencing community to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be conducted respectfully, whether at our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to progress is by respectful discussion based in evidence."
Turner said she has previously attempted to avoid taking part in fencing events to which transgender individuals had signed up, suggesting Redmond 'must have signed up after' her in the Cherry Blossom Open.
The fencer said the decision may temporarily 'destroy [her] life', but she stands by her choice and that of President Donald Trump to cut funding to states which allow trans athletes to compete in women's and girls sports.
"Something needs to be done, and there are activists who have embedded themselves in authoritative positions in sports bodies," she said.
Topics: LGBTQ, Sport, US News, Transgender
Emily Brown