Female fencer speaks out after taking knee and refusing to fight transgender opponent
Warning: This article contains discussion of discrimination against the trans community which some readers may find distressing.
A fencer has spoken out following her disqualification on Sunday (30 March) from a women’s tournament after she refused to fight her opponent who she said was transgender.
Footage from the sporting event shows Stephanie Turner taking the knee in protest at the USA Fencing-sanctioned regional tournament at the University of Maryland.
Just as the fencing match at the Cherry Blossom competition was about to begin, the 31-year-old refused to compete and was shown a black card.
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This move by the official is used for bad behaviour or unsporting conduct and meant she was disqualified for the remainder of the tournament.
The International Fencing Federation (FIE) rules state that a fencer is not permitted to refuse to go against any other properly entered fencer for any reason.
Debates in the US have continued to turn up in volume, over the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports and if they should be competing in male or female events.
Explaining her decision to refuse to fight her legitimately entered opponent, Redmond Sullivan, Turner told the right-leaning Fox News: “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'.”
The fencer has competed in over 200 matches while Sullivan has won 18 of her previous bouts and ended up placing 24th out of 39 at the event.
Turner went on to add that she knew what she ‘had to do’ as she said USA Fencing had ‘not been listening to women’s objections’ over its gender eligibility policy.
Turner added: “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.'”
Responding to her disqualification, USA Fencing said in a statement: "In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification, which applies to this tournament only, was not related to any personal statement but was merely the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE rules clearly prohibit.
"USA Fencing is obligated to follow the letter of those rules and ensure that participants respect the standards set at the international level. We remain committed to inclusivity within our sport while also upholding every requirement dictated by our governing body."
Although the The Cherry Blossom tournament was held at the university, it was not an National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-sanctioned event.
The NCAA changed its policy in February after Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing transgender women from competing in female categories of sports.
However, a statement on social media, USA Fencing said it ‘remains committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful community for everyone’.
“We believe in the principle of creating safe communities where all athletes and community members have a place,” it stated.
“While we understand there are a range of perspectives, USA Fencing will continue to engage in respectful, research based dialogue and review as policy evokes in the Olympic & Paralympic movement as well as domestic law, hate speech or targeted hate of any kind is not acceptable – online or in person."
Jess Battison