US Republican Senator Ted Cruz has vowed to investigate USA Fencing after it reaffirmed a commitment to trans inclusion in competitive sports.
The sport’s governing body in the US said it remains committed to inclusivity and respect after athlete Stephanie Turner, 31, refused to compete against trans competitor Redmond Sullivan during a tournament last month.
While competing at the University of Maryland’s Cherry Blossom tournament, Turner was disqualified for violating an International Fencing Federation (FIE) policy which disallows competitors to refuse competition against a valid opponent for any reason.
The story was shared across a variety of right-wing publications, several of which wrongly claimed that Turner was disqualified for “transphobia’.
Responding to the outcry, Ted Cruz, the current chairman of the US Senate’s committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, stated that he intends to force US Fencing to retract its policy allowing trans women to compete in female competitions.
An open letter issued by the 54-year-old to USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrew argued that the governing body was violating federal law by “permitting men to compete in women’s fencing.”
“USA Fencing’s commitment to ‘inclusivity’ is nothing less than full-throated support for males competing in women’s sports in violation of federal law,” Cruz continued. “As the recognised [National Governing Body] for fencing, USA Fencing is require to provide ‘support and encouragement for participation by women where separate programs for male and female athletes are conducted on a national basis.’
“Failure to do so is grounds for the United States Congress to terminate USA Fencing’s certification as a NGB.”
Despite Cruz’s claims USA Fencing’s policy is in violation of Donald Trump’s February executive order on trans athletes, but it is not currently in breach of federal law. Executive orders are not laws themselves but directives by the president for government departments to make policy changes.
At the time of reporting, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which Cruz cites in his open letter, does not appear to have made policy changes explicitly banning trans women from female competitions.
This isn’t the first time the Texas senator has tried his hand at attacking trans participation in sport. In fact, Cruz made it a fundamental part of his ad campaign during the 2024 Texas Senate election, sharing misinformation about trans wrestler Mack Beggs in an attack-ad.
During the advert, Cruz shared a picture of the trans masc professional wrestler while arguing that his Democratic rival, Colin Allred, “failed to protect women’s sports.” In actuality, Beggs was forced to compete against girls in the 2018 match because of a Universitry regulation forbidding trans people from competing in matches that correspond with their gender identity.
Beggs said in 2024 that he aimed to take legal action against Cruz over the ad, saying it’s a “false narrative” and “defamation.”
PinkNews has contacted USA Fencing for comment.
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