USA Fencing changes transgender policy, cites new guidance from US Olympic Committee

USA Fencing has updated its gender eligibility policy after months of criticism for allowing biological males to compete in the women's category. 

The organization appeared to update its policy last week to include the following requirements for competing in domestic women's competitions: "Athletes who are of the female sex, provided all other entry criteria have been met." 

The new policy will go into effect beginning next month.

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Lauren Scruggs competes against Alice Volpi in the women's foil team gold medal match during the Paris Olympic Games. (Katie Goodale-USA Today Sports)

The previous policy stated: "To participate in a USA Fencing-sanctioned event, athletes are to register with USA Fencing as the gender in which they identify," adding that biological males "may only compete in women’s events after completing one calendar year (12 months) of testosterone suppression treatment." 

USA Fencing announced in late April that it was preparing to change its gender-eligibility policy to ensure that the women's category would be "open exclusively to athletes of the female sex." The new official policy does not include the "exclusively" language that was used in April's proposal. 

USA Fencing has declined to clarify to Fox News Digital if the new policy explicitly prevents all biological males from competing in women's events. USA Fencing also declined to specify how it will enforce the new policy, whether mandatory sex testing will be implemented or whether it will accept amended birth certificates as proof of birth sex. 

USA Fencing addressed the new policy in a public statement, claiming that the change came in response to new guidelines released by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). 

"On July 18, 2025, the USOPC released new athlete-safety guidelines that all national governing bodies must follow under a federal executive order issued by the president earlier this year. In response, USA Fencing will implement the updated Transgender & Non Binary Participation Policy that was first published and shared with the fencing community on April 15, 2025. This policy will be effective Aug. 1, 2025, for every sanctioned competition," the statement reads. 

"We remain firmly committed to respect, fairness and athlete well-being. This update, mandated by the USOPC, aligns our sport with current national standards while keeping community support at the forefront."

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the USOPC for a response to USA Fencing's statement. 

The USOPC's transgender eligibility policy page now includes a note that reads, "As of July 21, 2025, please refer to the USOPC athlete safety policy."

That policy does not lay out any clear guidelines regarding trans inclusion in women's sports. However, it does include one paragraph that directly cites President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order.

"USOPC will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders with oversight responsibilities… to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201," the policy reads. 

USA Fencing has been under a national microscope for its gender eligibility policy since April 2, when footage of women's fencer Stephanie Turner kneeling to protest a trans opponent at a competition in Maryland went viral. Turner was disqualified and given a black card for her refusal to face the trans opponent, prompting mass backlash against USA Fencing. 

The controversy was then the subject of a federal hearing on May 7. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee's "Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" saw Turner testify against USA Fencing chair Damien Lehfeldt. 

In early June, USA Fencing's board of directors voted to amend its previous policy that prioritized states with LGBTQ-friendly laws for host sites for competitions and a policy that may have prevented the playing of the national anthem at some events. Both of those policies were also highly criticized in the aftermath of Turner's viral protest. 

Then, the very next week, two USA Fencing board of directors members filed a lawsuit against the other six at-large members, alleging Lehfeldt made false statements to Congress at the May 7 hearing. The plaintiffs, Andrey Geva and Abdel Salem, each have long ties to the sport and organization, previously coaching or competing for Team USA. 

USA Fencing acknowledged the lawsuit in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

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"USA Fencing proudly serves its members – athletes, coaches, referees and clubs – across our community with absolute transparency and integrity. This derivative lawsuit misrepresents our organization, and we will vigorously defend the organization in court; any attempt to disparage them will be addressed appropriately," the statement read.

"Because litigation is ongoing, we cannot discuss details. Our focus remains unwavering: advancing fencing nationwide, supporting every member’s success, and upholding the values of the Olympic and Paralympic movement."

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