Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, alongside Senator Jim Justice and six other Republican colleagues, has addressed a letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker. The group is seeking clarification on the organization's policy regarding the participation of biological males in women's sports. This follows an executive order signed by President Trump in February, which bans men from competing in women’s sports.

The Senators expressed appreciation for the NCAA's prompt response to the executive order but are urging further action to protect female athletes' privacy and safety. "In response to President Trump’s order, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) updated its student-athlete participation policy to bar biological male students from participating in women’s sports," they noted.

The letter suggests that the NCAA should clarify that their policies do not permit access to facilities such as women's locker rooms for biological males. "We ask that the NCAA consider adding language to its policy that explicitly bars biological male athletes from female-only spaces and to consider adopting additional privacy protections for women and girls in sports," wrote the Senators.

Joining Tuberville and Justice in this initiative are Senators Shelley Moore Capito, James Lankford, Mike Lee, Mike Crapo, Jim Risch, and Jim Banks.

The letter highlights concerns about maintaining fairness and safety within women's athletics following changes under previous administrations. It also supports defining "sex assigned at birth" based on birth records as part of eligibility criteria for athletes.

Senator Tuberville represents Alabama in the U.S. Senate and serves on several committees including Armed Services and Agriculture.