WASHINGTON DC — NCAA President Charlie Baker stated that the organization does not plan to change its policy regarding transgender athletes in women's sports. Baker made the remarks during a televised interview.

The current NCAA policy, implemented in late January 2025, prohibits athletes assigned male at birth or undergoing testosterone therapy from participating in women's sports programs. This policy was enacted in response to an executive order signed by Donald Trump early in his second term. There are no restrictions for participation in NCAA men's sports.

The NCAA policy was recently affirmed following a U.S. Supreme Court decision on June 30, which upheld laws in West Virginia and Idaho that exclude transgender girls and women from female sports. The 6-3 ruling stated that banning transgender women and girls from competing in female sports does not violate Title IX, a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination in education. This decision overturned prior judgments from lower courts that had sided with two transgender students. Prohibitions on transgender athletes in female sports in Idaho and West Virginia were replicated in at least 25 other states.

Baker previously testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 17, 2024, in Washington DC. He had informed Congress that he was aware of only 10 transgender athletes among more than 500,000 student athletes attending NCAA schools. Baker, a former Republican governor of Massachusetts, commented on the NCAA's current policy, stating, "I can tell you that having talked to people on both sides of this issue – to those who are involved in it, it matters a lot." He added, "We needed some sort of clarity around what the national standard for this would be – and we adopted and comply with the standard that was put forth by the administration."

Why It Matters

The NCAA's decision to maintain its ban on transgender athletes in women's sports establishes a continued framework for athletic competition within the organization. This stance follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that affirmed state-level restrictions on transgender athletes, aligning the NCAA's guidelines with a broader legal precedent. The policy impacts athletes assigned male at birth or those undergoing testosterone therapy, reinforcing the NCAA's position on eligibility in women's collegiate sports programs.