WNBA tells Congress that Enes Kanter Freedom, Royce White are ‘both men’ in eligibility dispute
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the league’s collective bargaining agreement limits play to women, but she did not define the term for lawmakers.
- On Friday, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Congress that former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible because they are "both men," responding to a congressional inquiry without supplying the definition of "women" lawmakers requested.
- House Republicans led by Marlin Stutzman requested clarification in September, questioning how The WNBA defines "women" under The CBA and why the two former NBA players were deemed ineligible.
- Freedom and White launched their campaign in August to force The WNBA to specify eligibility rules, with White wearing a wig at a Fever game and Freedom wearing a shirt reading, "woman, noun, adult human female."
- Criticizing the letter, Enes Kanter Freedom told OutKick that Engelbert misgendered him and asked, "Who has the authority to determine whether someone is a woman?" while vowing to continue pursuing a league spot.
- The ongoing debate reflects broader national tensions over transgender inclusion in sports, as Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham faced backlash for stating female athletes should not compete against biological men.
16 Articles
16 Articles
WNBA announces decision on men trying to join league
Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White – both of whom are men – have spent months trying to make a point about transgender athletes by announcing plans to enter the WNBA Draft. Now, the league has made it clear to Congress that neither of them will be eligible to join the WNBA.…
WNBA sends shocking letter to Congress about men playing in the league — but leaves out one huge detail
The WNBA just got one step closer to admitting what a woman is.However, the league isn't quite there yet, and its latest response to a congressional inquiry still leaves the water more muddy than clear.'This is their clear acknowledgment ...'Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) sent the WNBA a letter in September asking the league to answer some key questions about how the league is being governed.Stutzman didn't exactly present the WNBA with any diffi…
WNBA bars Freedom and White as ‘both men’ — but refuses to define ‘woman’
The WNBA is barring former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White after they tried to get drafted into the league, a push the men have described as supporting women in sports. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told Republican lawmakers that the two players are ineligible because they are “both men,” according to Fox News’s […]
Enes Kanter Freedom Accuses Cathy Engelbert of 'Disrespect' as WNBA Gender Eligibility Debate Intensifies
In the last week of August, Enes Kanter Freedom sat inside the Fox News studio in front of Laura Ingraham and boldly declared that he identified as a woman and that he should be allowed to play in the WNBA. Call it a media stunt or otherwise, Kanter had put the league under severe strain […]
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