WNBA player faces backlash over op-ed criticizing IOC for policy to protect women’s sports

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WNBA playerBrianna Turner faced social media backlash after she wrote an op-ed expressing her displeasure with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) policy to keep men out of women’s sports.

Turner, who recently signed a contract with theLas Vegas Acesafter playing professionally in Australia, wrote in USA Today that she didn’t believe the new policy the IOC implemented actually protected women’s sporting events.

Indiana Fever forward Brianna Turner reacting during WNBA playoff game at Gateway Center Arena

Indiana Fever forward Brianna Turner reacts after defeating the Atlanta Dream in game three of the first round of the 2025 WNBA playoffs at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Ga., on Sept.18, 2025.(Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)

The IOC said it would use genetic testing to ensure that women’s events only feature females.Turner accused the IOC of using the new policies to “scapegoat” transgender athletes while ignoring “real” issues regarding women in sports.

“Policies that single out transgender women and athletes with intersex variations do not protect women’s sports.They manufacture a scapegoat while the real challenges to women’s sports go unaddressed: unequal funding, limited access to training and facilities, pay disparities, male-dominated leadership, gender-based violence and harassment across race, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity,”Turner wrote on Friday.

She also denied the IOC’s argument that the new policy is being enacted to make sure that female sports are safe and fair, claiming there were no biological advantages in transgender athletes.

WNBA PLAYER OPPOSES NEW OLYMPICS TRANSGENDER POLICY, SAYING THEY DO ‘ANYTHING BUT’ PROTECT WOMEN

Indiana Fever forward Brianna Turner celebrating on the basketball court.

Indiana Fever forward Brianna Turner celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Sparks 76-75 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug.29, 2025.(Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)

“In more than 15 years of organized basketball, I’ve played with and against people who are transgender and undoubtedly people with intersex variations, and I’ve never experienced any unfair advantages.I saw these players as my fellow athletes, not my enemies,” Turner wrote.

She concluded by demanding that the IOC do not use women athletes in efforts to “shame or exclude” transgender athletes.

Turner received a torrent ofsocial media responsesto her critique of the IOC.

Turner’s op-ed followed a similar response from former U.S.women’s soccer starMegan Rapinoeand Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Sue Bird.

“We already know that biology, as much as we want it to be just nice and clean and tight and perfectly in one category and another, it’s not,” Rapinoe said earlier this month.“We know that.So, now what we’re doing is subjecting everybody, all women and all people who are identifying as women to this really invasive testing that only to me says like, ‘Oh we’re just trying to whittle it down to a certain type of woman.’ Is that what we’re doing?That’s really the whole game here.”

Bird said theIOC policywas akin to “fearmongering.”

Turner is set to play with the Aces this season.She was with the Indiana Fever in 2025 and the Chicago Sky in 2024 after spending the first five seasons of her career with the Phoenix Mercury.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry speaking to volunteers in Milan

IOC President Kirsty Coventry speaks to volunteers, ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Jan.29, 2026.(Daniele Mascolo/Pool Photo via AP)

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There are no known transgender athletes competing in the WNBA.

� Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.