WNBA tells Congress that Enes Kanter Freedom, Royce White are ‘both men’ in eligibility dispute

Key Points:

• WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert responded to Republican lawmakers by stating that former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible to play in the WNBA because they are "both men," without providing a formal definition of "women" as requested.
• The inquiry from GOP lawmakers focused on how the league defines "women" under its collective bargaining agreement, which states only women are eligible to play but does not define the term; Engelbert’s letter did not introduce new eligibility rules or policies on transgender athletes.
• Freedom criticized the response for lacking clarity on the standards used to determine eligibility and accused Engelbert of misgendering him, emphasizing the need for the league to explicitly define eligibility criteria.
• The lawmakers also questioned the league’s handling of physical play and fan-player confrontations, with Engelbert defending the league’s disciplinary processes but not addressing inconsistencies in punishments for specific incidents.
• Engelbert’s letter affirmed ongoing efforts to protect players from online abuse and hate, while Freedom vowed to continue challenging the league’s eligibility rules unless they explicitly include "biological" criteria, aiming to prompt clearer policies under Engelbert’s successor.