At a recent University of Maryland fencing tournament, USA Fencing has sparked nationwide debate after disqualifying female competitor Stephanie Turner for refusing to face transgender opponent Redmond Sullivan.
The incident occurred earlier this week at the Cherry Blossom competition when Turner, who had already completed four matches, took a knee and removed her mask in protest rather than compete against Sullivan, a biological male who transferred from Wagner College men’s team to the women’s team last year.
Tournament officials promptly issued Turner a black card, resulting in her disqualification and suspension from the remainder of the competition. Sullivan ultimately placed 24th out of 39 competitors.
Following the incident, USA Fencing released a statement defending their transgender participation policy and Sullivan’s eligibility.
“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 stated. “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.”
The statement continued: “In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification was not related to any personal statement but was merely the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE [International Fencing Federation] rules clearly prohibit.”
Turner, in an interview with Fox News, explained her decision: “I saw that I was going to be in a pool with Redmond, and from there I said, ‘OK, let’s do it. I’m going to take the knee.’ I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women’s objections.”
She described the moment of refusal: “I took a knee immediately at that point. Redmond [Sullivan] was under the impression that I was going to start fencing. So when I took the knee, I looked at the ref and I said: ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women’s tournament. And I will not fence this individual.'”
The controversy has ignited fierce debate on social media, with many users criticizing USA Fencing’s decision. One user wrote: “You allow biological men to compete with women thus stripping women from reaching their dreams. Shame on you!”
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who has frequently spoken out against transgender women competing in female sports, also weighed in simply saying: “And again….”
USA Fencing defended its position, stating: “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.”
The organization added: “We respect the viewpoints on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the matter evolves. It’s important for the fencing community to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be conducted respectfully, whether at our tournaments or in online spaces.”
31-year-old fencer Stephanie Turner has shed light on what she describes as a “pro-trans culture” within USA Fencing after being disqualified for refusing to compete against transgender opponent Redmond Sullivan.
Turner, who was participating in a tournament at the University of Maryland, took a knee and walked away from her scheduled match against Sullivan, 20, who was born male. Tournament officials responded by issuing Turner a “blackcard,” resulting in her suspension from the competition.
Speaking to DailyMail, Turner expressed hesitation about approaching USA Fencing with her concerns due to what she perceives as transgender-supportive views among high-ranking officials.
“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,” Turner explained. “There are a lot of people who are for this [trans athletes in women’s sports] who are referees. I could lose favor within the sight of referees and I could end up with a biased bout.”
Turner specifically mentioned Damien Lehfeldt, an At-Large Director on the USA Fencing Board of Directors, who runs a blog called “The Fencing Coach.” Lehfeldt has previously written in defense of including transgender athletes in women’s sports.
