In a video shared on social media, track and field athlete Sadie Schreiner expressed frustration after being denied participation in Boston University’s Valentine Invitational less than 24 hours before the event.
According to Schreiner, who had previously competed at the venue a year ago, the university had initially accepted the entry and included Schreiner’s name on the heat sheet following payment of the $120 registration fee.
“Less than 24 hours before I was supposed to step on the track to compete, Boston University sent me this email claiming that the executive order barred me from competing,” Schreiner stated in the video. “Despite Massachusetts law, despite their own transgender policy, and despite me being an unattached athlete, they banned me without any investigation or discussion.”
Schreiner raised concerns about the implications of this decision for other athletes, suggesting that the university’s actions could set a precedent for future competitions. “They are not going to be the only university who takes such drastic measures and it sets a really scary precedent for how the future of women athletics are going to work,” Schreiner said.
The incident has sparked discussion about athlete eligibility requirements and verification processes in collegiate sports. Boston University has not yet publicly commented on the specific details of their decision or the policy implementation that led to Schreiner’s exclusion from the event.
The Department of Education under President Donald Trump has urged the NCAA to revoke women’s titles and records previously awarded to biological men, including transgender athlete Lia Thomas, the Daily Caller reports. The ED also directed the National Federation of State High School Associations to take similar action at the high school level. This move follows Trump’s executive order banning biological men from competing in women’s sports. The NCAA has since updated its policy to align with this directive, and the ED argues that restoring athletic records to women is a necessary correction. If enacted, this would strip Thomas of her 2022 NCAA championship victory. Supporters, including former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, praise the move as a step toward fairness in women’s athletics. The executive order directly opposes the Biden administration’s previous push to expand Title IX protections based on gender identity.
CNN’s data analysis, led by senior political analyst Harry Enten, reveals that 79% of Americans oppose allowing transgender female athletes to compete in women’s sports, marking a sharp rise from 62% in 2021. The opposition is bipartisan, with 67% of Democrats, 64% of independents, and 94% of Republicans against such participation. Enten noted the rarity of such widespread agreement across party lines. This growing opposition coincides with President Donald Trump’s executive order mandating Title IX compliance based on biological sex, authorizing the Education Department to penalize schools that allow transgender athletes.
