Trans rowers no longer allowed in girls rowing

[crewu]

Reading the regulations for Youth Regionals and Nationals...is this new?

WOMEN’S EVENTS: This category is limited to athletes who were assigned a sex at birth of
female.

MEN’S EVENTS: This category is for rowers of any sex and gender.

[bz]

Here is a recent USRowing press release that indicates that policy.

New Competition Category Policy
The USOPC recognizes USRowing as the National Governing Body (NGB) of rowing, and has determined that all NGBs must adopt policies that comply with Executive Order 14201 or risk decertification as an NGB. To balance compliance with the Executive Order and still provide pathways for participation for all athletes, USRowing has a new Competition Category Policy (which replaces the Gender Identity Policy)

The USRowing Competition Category Policy outlines how athletes are classified for competition under mandates from the USOPC. It defines eligibility for Women’s, Men’s, Open Gender, and Mixed categories and provides administrative guidance for registration, confidentiality, and dispute resolution. The document also affirms compliance with anti-doping and SafeSport requirements, clarifies the handling of member information, and reserves USRowing’s right to amend the policy as national or international standards evolve.

Please find the new policy HERE. https://usrowing-craft-storage-producti ... 1.2026.pdf

The USRowing membership portal has been updated to reflect this change, and members who may be impacted by this change are encouraged to review their personal information in the Membership Portal to ensure it reflects the appropriate personal details.

[sandor]

Here is a recent USRowing press release that indicates that policy.

New Competition Category Policy
The USOPC recognizes USRowing as the National Governing Body (NGB) of rowing, and has determined that all NGBs must adopt policies that comply with Executive Order 14201 or risk decertification as an NGB. To balance compliance with the Executive Order and still provide pathways for participation for all athletes, USRowing has a new Competition Category Policy (which replaces the Gender Identity Policy)

The USRowing Competition Category Policy outlines how athletes are classified for competition under mandates from the USOPC. It defines eligibility for Women’s, Men’s, Open Gender, and Mixed categories and provides administrative guidance for registration, confidentiality, and dispute resolution. The document also affirms compliance with anti-doping and SafeSport requirements, clarifies the handling of member information, and reserves USRowing’s right to amend the policy as national or international standards evolve.

Please find the new policy HERE. https://usrowing-craft-storage-producti ... 1.2026.pdf

The USRowing membership portal has been updated to reflect this change, and members who may be impacted by this change are encouraged to review their personal information in the Membership Portal to ensure it reflects the appropriate personal details.

Full text of executive order 14201:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCP ... 500229.pdf

Sec 4 (d) The Secretary of State shall use all appropriate and available measures to see that the
International Olympic Committee amends the standards governing Olympic sporting events to
promote fairness, safety, and the best interests of female athletes by ensuring that eligibility for
participation in women's sporting events is determined according to sex and not gender identity or
testosterone reduction.

[fullmetal]

WOMEN’S EVENTS: This category is limited to athletes who were assigned a sex at birth of
female.

MEN’S EVENTS: This category is for rowers of any sex and gender.

Uh. So trans junior men who were AFAB can row in women's events? Crazy.

[crewu]

k2sn56tn11eg1.jpeg (173.56 KiB) Viewed 17961 times

[sandor]

Wasn't there some noise about males on practice squads or something adding to counts for Title IV?

“(4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a recipient from permitting males to train or practice with an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls so long as no female is deprived of a roster spot on a team or sport, opportunity to participate in a practice or competition, scholarship, admission to an educational institution, or any other benefit that accompanies participating in the athletic program or activity.

Not sure how this all plays out, or how it changes current practices, but it was interesting that such a short bill had such a direct carve out for allowed male participation in female sports.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-con ... ll/28/text

[bz]

Here is the applicable NCAA rule. I think the intent was that the legislation would not impact this bylaw. Some people believe that the use of male practice players takes practice and participation opportunities away from female athletes. And there is debate over the Title IX implications of counting male practice players as female participants on some reporting mechanisms.

Bill Zack

12.5.5 Eligibility Requirements for Male Students to Practice With Women's Teams.
A male student may engage in practice sessions with women's teams subject to the following conditions:
(a) A male student who practices with an institution's women's team must be verified as eligible for practice in accordance with
Bylaw 14.2.1 and must have eligibility remaining under the five-year rule (see Bylaw 12.6.1);
(b) It is not permissible for a recruited male student-athlete who is serving an academic year of residence as a nonqualifier to
participate in practice sessions with a women's team. A nonrecruited male student who is serving an academic year of
residence as a nonqualifier may participate in practice sessions with a women's team; and
(c) A male student who practices with an institution’s women’s basketball team may participate in required summer athletic
activities, provided the student was enrolled full time at the conclusion of the regular academic term (e.g., spring semester
or quarter) immediately preceding the institution’s summer term.

[crewu]

No boy's coxing women's boats anymore.

[sandor]

Here is the applicable NCAA rule. I think the intent was that the legislation would not impact this bylaw. Some people believe that the use of male practice players takes practice and participation opportunities away from female athletes. And there is debate over the Title IX implications of counting male practice players as female participants on some reporting mechanisms.

Bill Zack

12.5.5 Eligibility Requirements for Male Students to Practice With Women's Teams.
A male student may engage in practice sessions with women's teams subject to the following conditions:
(a) A male student who practices with an institution's women's team must be verified as eligible for practice in accordance with
Bylaw 14.2.1 and must have eligibility remaining under the five-year rule (see Bylaw 12.6.1);
(b) It is not permissible for a recruited male student-athlete who is serving an academic year of residence as a nonqualifier to
participate in practice sessions with a women's team. A nonrecruited male student who is serving an academic year of
residence as a nonqualifier may participate in practice sessions with a women's team; and
(c) A male student who practices with an institution’s women’s basketball team may participate in required summer athletic
activities, provided the student was enrolled full time at the conclusion of the regular academic term (e.g., spring semester
or quarter) immediately preceding the institution’s summer term.

Thanks Bill - that was the concept that i was remembering.

This was one of the threads i was remembering:
"Title IX math in NYTimes"
http://rowingillustrated.com/boards/vie ... php?t=3820

[Cowbells123]

Meanwhile the real threat to young women are creepy, old billionaires and politicians. But why get bogged down in the reality of it….

[fullmetal]

Or, as SafeSport reminds me, adults in power over young athletes without accountability. If nothing, SafeSport has made me aware of behaviors I never thought thinkable.