Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into USA Fencing over the disqualification of a female participant who refused to compete against a transgender opponent.
The incident went down on March 30 at a USA Fencing-sanctioned regional tournament in Maryland, but Paxton has nonetheless issued a ‘Civil Investigative Demand’ over potential violations to Texas law.
As Paxton described in his statement, Stephanie Turner was disqualified by USA Fencing for ‘bravely taking a knee instead of competing against a biological male.’
Turner was set to face Redmond Sullivan, who is reportedly transgender.
The investigation will uncover documents related to USA Fencing potentially engaging in false, deceptive, and misleading acts and practices. USA Fencing is on the wrong side of history and potentially the wrong side of the law due to violations of Texas consumer protection laws.
‘USA Fencing’s policies are not only potentially illegal, but also deeply insulting to the young women like Stephanie Turner who have sacrificed so much and dedicated countless hours to compete and succeed in competitions,’ read Paxton’s statement. ‘I will fight to stop these unfair policies, and I will never back down from defending the integrity of women’s sports.’
Although the incident (pictured) took place in Maryland, Texas AG Ken Paxton has commandeered the case by issuing a ‘Civil Investigative Demand’
President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in women's sports
Nonetheless, the statement strongly defended transgender inclusion in the sport.
'USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces,' the organization said.
'The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day.
'We understand that the conversation on equity and inclusion pertaining to transgender participation in sport is evolving.
'USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion, and we're committed to amending the policy as more relevant evidence-based research emerges, or as policy changes take effect in the wider Olympic & Paralympic movement.'
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Turner revealed she had been scared to reach out to USA Fencing with her concerns, given the pro-trans views of high-ranking officials within the governing body.
'I was like, I don't even want to reach out because if I do, then I won't ever have a fair bout in my life.
'There are a lot of people who are for this [trans athletes in women's sports] who are referees.
'I would lose favor within the sight of referees and I could end up with a biased bout. I could lose friends who I don't know what their position is on this.
'So what I was doing already was just avoiding tournaments where I knew there was a transgender fencer. But at this point, what else should I do? Should I just not sign up for any tournaments? I have no other options.'
Penn swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky's Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18th, 2022
Sullivan, who switched from Wagner College's men's team to it's women's squad last year, ultimately placed 24th out of 39 in the competition.
The issue of trans athletes competing in women's sports has been further amplified since President Trump signed an executive order in February which banned trans women from competing in women's competitions.
'The radical left has waged an all-out campaign to erase the very concept of biological sex and replace it with a militant transgender ideology,' Trump said at the White House as he announced the move.
'With this executive order, the war on women's sports is over.'
The order has threatened that schools that do not comply could lose federal funding, and that came to fruition last month as the University of Pennsylvania saw $175million in federal funding frozen.
The funding freeze appears to be a reaction to former Penn swimmer Lia Thomas, a transgender competitor who gained national attention when she tied Gaines for fifth in an event at the 2022 NCAA championships.
Stephanie Turner, 31, took a knee and walked out of her match against a transgender rival
Turner was slated to compete agaisnt Redmond Sullivan, a transgender woman
Paxton spokespeople did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s inquiry about the Texas AG’s jurisdiction in the matter.
Turner, a Washington DC native who now lives in Maryland, has profited from her decision.
The increasingly influential XX-XY Athletics, which calls itself 'the only athletic brand that stands up for women's sports,' awarded Turner with the Courage Wins Award and announced she would receive a $5,000 prize as well as admittance into a leadership program.
'By taking a knee, she became more powerful than any male. She stood her ground to fight for women's sports,' XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey said in a press release. 'She's a hero.'
Sey continued: 'We aim to take the sting out of monetary cancelation and platform these women and bring them on board. They have community. They have support. They will not stand alone.'
The previous winner of the award was Sia Liilii, who led her University of Nevada volleyball team to boycott a game against San Jose State University when she discovered they were fielding a trans player in Blaire Fleming.
The company, who also boasts anti-trans activist Riley Gaines as an ambassador, is named after the male (XX) and female (XY) chromosomes.
It says on its website: 'We are here to protect women's sports and spaces. Women deserve the opportunities that sports and single sex spaces provide. Sex matters. It is the single biggest determinant of athletic performance. It is unfair and dangerous to allow males (XY) to compete in girls and women's (XX) sports.
'For women to compete safely and fairly, women's sports need to remain female. We'll be here defending truth. And women and girls. Until that happens.'
When Turner refused to compete against Sullivan, she told her: 'I am sorry. I have a lot of love and respect for you, but I will not fence you.'
USA Fencing later released a statement saying that Turner's disqualification was 'not related to any personal statement,' but instead 'the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE [International Fencing Federation] rules clearly prohibit.
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