NCAA Issues Statement After Board of Governors Receives Equity Report and Reaffirms Transgender Participation

Earlier this week, the NCAA Board of Governors “discussed three issues of importance to college sports: the gender equity review of NCAA championships by Kaplan, Hecker & Fink LLP, transgender athlete participation in NCAA championships, and the Association’s sexual violence policy.”

Specifically, the board received the first report from Kaplan, Hecker & Fink’s gender equity review, which had a specific focus on women’s and men’s basketball. A future report will examine other NCAA championships. The board issued a statement regarding the report earlier Tuesday.

Transgender participation at NCAA championships

Meanwhile, the board also “reaffirmed the Association’s policy to provide fair and nondiscriminatory championships opportunities to all student-athletes, including transgender college athletes. Given the Association’s foundational values of inclusion and fair competition, the NCAA intends to conduct its championships as they were awarded but will require all hosts to reaffirm their commitment to ensure a nondiscriminatory and safe environment for all college athletes per their host agreement. Any host who cannot commit to the nondiscrimination policy should contact the NCAA immediately. Future championship hosts also must commit to the nondiscrimination policy, as they have in the past.

“The NCAA’s long-standing Association-wide policy provides an inclusive path for transgender participation. The policy was developed with input from the medical and higher education communities, inclusion thought leaders and college athletes.

Sexual violence policy

“The board received an annual report of members who are compliant with the NCAA Sexual Violence Policy. The annual attestation period runs from March 1 to May 15.”