WNBA Faces Push to Define Female-Only Eligibility amid Trans Sports Debate
A heated debate over female-only eligibility in the WNBA intensified after Sophie Cunningham’s remarks that biologically male athletes should not compete in women’s sports. Olympic gold medalist Nancy Hogshead-Makar launched a petition for a female-only policy that has attracted over 20,000 signatures and support from prominent figures. The WNBA says there are no immediate eligibility decisions, while a league task force debates how to define “woman,” a question tied to broader sports controversies around gender and competition, including Lia Thomas and other athletes who identify as women and, in some cases, will enter next year’s draft.