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Fencer disqualified from tournament after refusing to face an opponent she says is transgender

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — USA Fencing disqualified a fencer from a women’s tournament in Maryland after she refused to face an opponent whom she says is transgender.

Stephanie Turner was competing on March 30 in a USA Fencing-sanctioned regional tournament at the University of Maryland. It was not an NCAA-sanctioned event.

Online video shows Turner took a knee in protest before her match against the opponent. She was shown a black card by an official and disqualified from the remainder of the tournament. The Associated Press is not identifying Turner's opponent because they have not publicly commented on the incident nor disclosed their gender identity.

“A fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason," USA Fencing said in a statement released to The Associated Press. “Under these rules, such a refusal results in disqualification and the corresponding sanctions. This policy exists to maintain fair competition standards and preserve the sport’s integrity.”

USA Fencing said it enacted its current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The organization added that Turner's disqualifcation only applies to the March 30 tournament.

“We understand that the conversation on equity and inclusion pertaining to transgender participation in sport is evolving," the statement said. "USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion, and we’re committed to amending the policy as more relevant evidence-based research emerges, or as policy changes take effect in the wider Olympic & Paralympic movement."

Turner told Fox News Digital that after checking the competition pool the night before the event, she realized she would be competing against a transgender opponent.

“I told them that I was refusing to fence because this person is a man, and I'm a woman, and this is a women's tournament and I refuse to fence on principle," Turner told Fox News.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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