Students at a Virginia university have vented their fury after a transgender woman was allowed to join their swimming team.
Members of the Roanoke College Women’s Swim Team say they feel let down by both the university and national officials after a former member of the men’s team joined their squad last month.
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Junior Sussana Price said it was ‘disheartening’.
WATCH NOW: Roanoke Women slam trans involvement
She said at a press conference: “I started swimming competitively when I was seven years old.
“This year has been the first year of my life where swimming has been emotionally draining.
“Knowing that biological men are allowed to compete in sports has been the most disheartening experience of my life.”
Price’s words were echoed by another student.
Sophomore Carter Satterfield stated: “We are calling on the NCAA to protect female athletes and grant us fair sports – in every sport.
“We are calling on US Swimming to recognise that girls at every level deserve to know they are valuable enough to be given a fair race.”
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Gaines has long lobbied for female spaces to be protected, having previously ripped into the decision to allow Lia Thomas to swim.
Thomas was born male but has changed gender and is currently able to compete against biological women.
Gaines was one woman who had to compete against Thomas.
Speaking at the press conference, she recalled her experience by saying: “I saw the tears, and I felt the extreme discomfort in the locker room.
“And I heard the whispers of anger and frustration from those girls who just like myself and the swimmers in Roanoke’s team, worked their entire lives to get to that meet.”
Roanoke College have, however, now issued a firm response.
They have denied responsibility, insisting they never made any decision about allowing the trans swimmer to participate.
“This fall a Roanoke College student who identifies as trans (male to female) requested consideration to join and compete with the women’s swim team,” a spokesperson said.
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The three women speaking to the Mail say the college’s position was ‘news to them’.
They had reportedly always been told the swimmer was a member of their squad – and that the trans athlete had trained alongside them.
The women also say the college was dodging responsibility.
Back in March this year, World Athletics said they were banning athletes who have gone through ‘male puberty’ from participating in female world rankings competitions.
In other news, Martina Navratilova recently took aim at Daniel Radcliffe for criticising JK Rowling over her views on trans people.
* ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
https://www.gbnews.com/sport/trans-news-students-america-disheartening
