Op-Ed: The Globalist-Left’s Assault On Female Olympic Athletes | Tommy Tuberville

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned an op-ed about his legislation to stop men from competing in women’s sports in the Olympics. A few months ago, Sen. Tuberville introduced the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act after USA boxing announced it would allow men to box against women.

Prior to becoming a U.S. Senator, I spent 40 years as a coach and an educator. While most people know me as a football coach, my first job out of college was coaching girls’ basketball. Title IX had just been implemented, and I saw firsthand the tremendous impact it had on women’s sports. For the first time, female athletes were given the same opportunities, scholarships, and resources as male athletes. I’ve said many times that Title IX is one of the most consequential bills to come from Congress.

MINDEN, Nev. - U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) walks on stage during a campaign rally at Minden-Tahoe Airport on October 8, 2022.  (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The ripple effects of this historic legislation go far beyond college athletics. As a result of the scholarships and funding made available through Title IX, women’s sports have flourished. This will be on full display over the next few weeks as world-class athletes like Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Gabby Thomas, and Suni Lee represent the United States in the Olympics. These tremendous athletes serve as excellent role models for the young women in our country dreaming of one day competing on the international stage.

American swimmer Katie Ledecky (Photo: Grace Hollars, USA Today Network) and American gymnast Simone Biles (Photo: David Ramos, Getty)

Unfortunately, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are willing to sacrifice all of this progress at the altar of woke ideology. Since getting to office, the Biden-Harris administration has taken a sledgehammer to Title IX and women’s sports. Earlier this year, the Education Department issued a Title IX rule that threatens to pull federal funding from schools if they don’t allow men to compete in women’s sports. This new rule would force schools to choose between protecting their female athletes and receiving federal funding. It also says that schools are not allowed to have designated safe spaces for females – meaning that biological men can share locker rooms with women and girls.

So, why is the Left doing this? They chose to prioritize equity, not equality. While Republicans believe all men and women are created equal by God, Democrats believe all people should be treated the exact same. They believe it is sexist to admit that there are biological differences between men and women. It’s bizarre, but this is at the core of their belief system.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Sadly, this woke ideology isn’t confined to our country. The same thing is occurring on the international stage with the Olympics. In January, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued new guidelines that stressed its commitment to "foster gender equality and inclusion." As a result, several sports’ governing bodies have changed their rules to allow men into women’s sports.

Take the example of USA boxing. Yes, boxing. On January 1, 2024, while directly referencing the IOC’s Framework, USA Boxing incorporated a new transgender policy. The policy states: "a boxer who transitions from male to female is eligible to compete in the female category" with certain conditions.

I don’t care how many procedures a man undertakes. Whether it’s gender reassignment surgery, hormone therapy, or constantly assessing his testosterone levels, nothing changes the fact that men are physiologically different than women. Even after transitioning, men still maintain a greater bone density, an increased lung capacity, and more muscle mass. Women should not be forced to compete against men in any sport—especially not in an intense sport like boxing. IOC President Thomas Bach and the entire IOC Executive Board should be utterly ashamed of themselves for putting female athletes at risk like this.

LOMBARDY, Italy - Cindy Ngamba of Boxing Refugee Team, left, in action against Naomi Graham of the USA during their Women's 75kg Round of 32 bout during day four at the Paris 2024 Olympic Boxing Qualification Tournament at E-Work Arena on March 6, 2024. (Photo By Ben McShane/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

So, I introduced the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to stop this madness. This bill would ensure that American women who have trained their entire lives to represent our country are competing on a level playing field. To no one’s surprise, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has refused to bring this common-sense bill to a vote.

With the 2024 Olympics kicking off today in Paris, I hope we can all see the greatness of the female athletes featured there. I hope it inspires our Nation to protect their hard-fought achievements and the progress we have made thanks to Title IX. Women deserve the same opportunities to compete and earn scholarships as men. I fear it may take someone getting seriously injured to spur Democrats to step up and protect our female athletes from this assault.

SCRANTON, Pa. - An audience of mostly women and girls attended the Take Back Title IX rally on May 29, 2024. The Take Back Title IX bus tour made its first stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania, rallying against the participation of trans athletes in women's sports. (Photo by Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Whether in little league or the Olympics, allowing men to compete in women’s sports is just wrong. If we don’t act soon, women may not even be competing in the Olympics 10 years from now. I am calling on Chuck Schumer and my Democrat colleagues to immediately take up my bill to save women’s sports. If any of my colleagues are on the fence, I suggest they ask their daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and female friends what they think. This isn’t about politics; this is about right and wrong.