A federal appeals court on Friday ruled that transgender athletes can compete on female sports teams in Connecticut, dismissing a challenge by four cisgender runners who argued they were deprived of wins, state titles and athletic opportunities by being forced to compete against two transgender sprinters, reports The Hill.
"All four plaintiffs regularly competed at state track championships as high school athletes, where plaintiffs had the opportunity to compete for state titles in different events," the decision by a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City said in upholding a lower court judge's dismissal of the lawsuit challenging the policy.
"And, on numerous occasions, plaintiffs were indeed 'champions,' finishing first in various events, even sometimes when competing against [transgender athletes]."
The judges added, "Plaintiffs simply have not been deprived of a 'chance to be champions.'"
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Council, which oversees scholastic sports in the state, allows high school athletes to compete in sports according to their gender identity. The lawsuit challenging the policy was filed a year ago by cisgender runners.
Joshua Block, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, represented the CIAC, five Connecticut school boards and two former athletes in the case. In a statement, Block called the ruling "a critical victory for fairness, equality and inclusion."
He added, "This critical victory strikes at the heart of political attacks against transgender youth while helping ensure every young person has the right to play."
Transgender athletes' ability to compete in sports is the subject of a continuing national debate. At least 12 Republican-led states have passed laws banning transgender women or girls in sports based on the premise it gives them an unfair competitive advantage.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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