Tennis legend Martina Navratilova criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s policies regarding transgender participation in girls’ sports as another issue appeared to arise.
A triple-jump record was broken in California girls high school track and field last weekend, sparking the latest debate about trans-inclusion in girls’ sports. The issue came as California bucked President Donald Trump’s executive order keeping biological males out of girls’ and women’s sports.
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Navratilova, who has championed fairness in women’s sports, took a shot at Newsom on X.
« Seems fair to me, right??? Hey gov. Newsom- @CAgovernor- this is not ok!!! This is not what one would call progressive. In fact it’s regressive AF, » she wrote.
The California Interscholastic Federation was among the high school governing bodies in the U.S. that announced plans to continue to allow trans athletes to compete in women’s sports despite Trump’s order and the NCAA’s own policy change – which has also been criticized.
Minnesota and Maine also joined California’s stance.
Attorney General Pam Bondi warned those states earlier this week to comply with Trump’s order or face legal action.
« This Department of Justice will hold accountable states and state entities that violate federal law, » Bondi wrote in a letter first obtained by Fox News. « Indeed, we have already begun to do so. »
Bondi was referring to the Justice Department’s move to sue Illinois and New York earlier in February for defying federal immigration laws.
« We also stand ready to sue states and state entities that defy federal antidiscrimination laws, » Bondi wrote.
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Trump directed the Justice Department and the Education Department to prioritize enforcement actions against athletic associations that deny girls an equal opportunity to participate in sports and athletic events by requiring them to compete against boys. Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from Maine schools over its gender-participation policy, which sparked a spat with Gov. Janet Mills last week.
In California, Bondi said the state « should be on notice, » amid the Department of Education’s Title IX investigation into the California Interscholastic Federation.
« If the Department of Education’s investigation shows that the Federation is indeed denying girls an equal opportunity to participate in sports and athletic events by requiring them to compete against boys, the Department of Justice stands ready to take all appropriate action to enforce federal law, » Bondi wrote.
Bondi said the Justice Department « only wants states and state entities to comply with the law. »
« And federal law requires giving girls an equal opportunity to participate in sports and athletic events by ensuring that girls need to compete only with other girls, not with boys, » Bondi wrote.
Bondi told Fox News that « this Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law. »
« We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President Trump’s Executive Order protecting women’s sports, » she said.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman, Jake Gibson and David Spunt contributed to this report.
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Source link : https://www.foxnews.com/sports/martina-navratilova-takes-shot-gavin-newsom-over-californias-trans-athlete-policy
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Publish date : 2025-02-27 13:21:00
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