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A fencer’s refusal to compete against a transgender opponent in a women’s bout at a Maryland meet has put the issue in front of Congress.
May 6, 2025Updated 4:08 p.m. ET
A forfeited match and a viral video. An angry knock on the door. Death threats. An avalanche of political pressure, leading to a hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Washington.
The niche sport of fencing is usually not one that elicits fevered emotion beyond the thrust and parry of its matches. But it has become the latest sporting flashpoint following President Trump’s executive order in February to block transgender athletes from competing in girl’s and women’s sports events.
Athletes have been affected at the youth, high school and college level, but the cultural firestorm has extended to all levels and types of competition, including Olympic sports.
The Trump administration is seeking to restrict who will be eligible to compete in women’s events at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which will include fencing competition. It has ordered American consulates to deny visas to transgender athletes who seek to enter the United States for sports events.
Fencing has been under a rare and uncomfortable spotlight since a usually low-key regional tournament called the Cherry Blossom Open was held in College Park, Md., on March 30. In a match featuring midlevel fencers who are not Olympic caliber, Stephanie Turner, 31, removed her mask, took a knee in protest, and declined to participate against her transgender opponent, Red Sullivan, 19. A video of the moment went viral.
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