On Tuesday, the department sent a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) urging them to restore the awards, honors, and titles “misappropriated by biological males competing in female categories” back to female athletes.
The move comes after President Donald Trump’s executive order banning biological males from competing in women’s sports.
“Because of President Trump’s bold leadership, men will no longer be allowed to compete in women’s sports regardless of how they identify, and the NCAA has correctly changed its tune on its discriminatory practices against female athletes,” Candice Jackson, Deputy General Counsel, said in a statement.
“The next necessary step is to restore athletic records to women who have for years been devalued, ignored, and forced to watch men steal their accolades. The Trump Education Department will do everything in our power to right this wrong and champion the hard-earned accomplishments of past, current, and future female collegiate athletes,” Jackson added.
The day after Trump signed the executive order, NCAA President Charlie Baker announced that the board of governors voted to limit women’s athletics to students assigned female at birth effective immediately.
University of Pennsylvania swimmer Riley Gaines has been an outspoken critic of men competing in women’s sports. In March 2022, Gaines tied for fifth place in the women’s 200-meter NCAA championships with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Later that year, Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle and became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA championship.
“For the past four years, women have been begging for equal opportunities to compete and succeed, only to be ignored. A president who recognizes and celebrates women for our accomplishments is long overdue,” Gaines said in a statement. “Restoring stolen athletic accolades to their rightful owners is a crucial step towards reinstating accountability, integrity, and common sense – one that I wholeheartedly support.”
It is unclear whether the NCAA and the NFHS will comply with the Education Department’s latest efforts. NTD reached out to both organizations but did not receive an immediate response.
The department last week also launched probes into two educational institutions and an athletic association, following reports of Title IX violations.
