NCAA President Charlie Baker stated Sunday in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he does not anticipate any alterations to the organization’s transgender-athlete policy. This follows the Supreme Court’s decision in favor of West Virginia and Idaho, maintaining state laws that require athletes to compete on teams aligning with their biological sex at birth. These rulings were part of the cases West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox.
Baker emphasized that the NCAA aims to establish policies for its programs that serve as a national standard. He mentioned discussions with Democrats and Republicans, advocating for clarity on a national policy regarding this issue. The NCAA adopted a standard aligned with guidelines from the Trump administration.
The NCAA revised its gender-eligibility policy in February 2025, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. This order, titled “No Men in Women’s Sports,” altered a 2010 policy that permitted transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports. The current policy specifies that a student-athlete assigned male at birth can practice and receive benefits with a women’s team, though critics argue the policy lacks strict protections for female athletes.
A frequent critique is that transgender athletes might potentially circumvent the policy by modifying the gender on their birth certificate. In the United States, 44 states permit changes to birth certificates, with six states—Florida, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Montana—prohibiting such amendments. Additionally, 14 states allow these changes without requiring medical documentation.
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