NAIA unanimously approves tight restrictions for transgender athletes

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Council of Presidents on Monday approved strict limitations on transgender participation in women's sports.

Under the plan, NAIA will permit any athlete to participate in male sports, while limiting participation in women's sports to biological females who have not begun any hormone therapy, the Associated Press reported. The panel voted 20-0 in favor of the plan.

"With the exception of competitive cheer and competitive dance, the NAIA created separate categories for male and female participants," the organization said in a statement. "Each NAIA sport includes some combination of strength, speed and stamina, providing competitive advantages for male student-athletes."

"As a result, the NAIA policy for transgender student-athletes applies to all sports except for competitive cheer and competitive dance, which are open to all students," it continued.

The organization is responsible for roughly 83,000 athletes.

NAIA's move follows those of roughly half of the U.S states, which have move to bar transgender participation in sports. Twenty-four have done so by enacting laws to that effect, while Alaska has done so via state regulation, according to the Movement Advancement Project.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.