US Olympic hero Nancy Hogshead launches petition calling for WNBA to restrict gender eligibility
Fox News • • sports
Key Points:
- Nancy Hogshead, a three-time Olympic swimming gold medalist, has launched a petition urging the WNBA to explicitly restrict player eligibility to biological females, gathering over 11,000 signatures since August 14.
- The WNBA's 2026 collective bargaining agreement states that only women are eligible to play but does not define "woman" or address gender identity or sex assigned at birth, prompting calls for clearer language.
- The debate intensified after former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White announced plans to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft identifying as women, with league sources labeling their attempts as publicity stunts and confirming their ineligibility.
- Hogshead criticized the WNBA's current policies on gender self-identification as hypocritical and expressed support for Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who has publicly opposed transgender participation in women's sports.
- The WNBA has condemned efforts to use the debate to marginalize others and stated it will continue discussions on eligibility with the players’ union and stakeholders.
