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Warning: This article contains discussion of discrimination against the trans community which some readers may find distressing.
A sportswoman disqualified from a fencing competition after refusing to face a transgender opponent claims she acted for her ‘own physical safety’ with the hopes of raising concerns within governing bodies.
Fencing Academy of Philadelphia team member Stephanie Turner has sparked mass debate online after throwing a match in Maryland.
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The 31-year-old was due to face 20-year-old Redmond Sullivan at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland on March 30.
However, she was given a black card by a referee after she refused to fight Redmond, a transgender athlete competing for the University of Maryland, as per ABC News.
According to the Academy of Fencing Masters, a black card marks the ‘definitive and negative end of competition for a fencer’ who has broken the code of honor. It’s considered a severe punishment in the sport.
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Refusing to face Sullivan in the USA Fencing-sanctioned regional, Turner removed her mask and took the knee on the piste.
Then, she informed her opponent they would not be squaring off against each other.
The fencer’s display at the Maryland competition - which was not an NCAA tournament - caused her disqualification after four other successful bouts with other opponents.
Turner has now spoken out on the situation, alleging she didn’t want to ‘get hurt’ by Sullivan.
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“I did this for my own physical safety, because this is a combat sport - and, in competition setting, men do fence a lot harder than women and I don’t want to get hurt,” Turner told the New York Post.
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The athlete went on to claim she used to avoid signing up for events where transgender athletes were competing.
However, she now partakes, alleging it’s too ‘expensive’ to cancel or avoid certain tournaments.
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“Ultimately I’d never be able to fence if I was just avoiding every tournament where there was a transgender person,” she explained.
Recounting her protest, Turner claims she told Sullivan she would not be competing against her.
“I’m sorry, but I will not fence you. You’re a man, and I’m a woman, and this is a women’s tournament. I have much love and respect for you, but I will not fence you,” she allegedly told her opponent.
Turner then got down on one knee and refused to fight - earning her the black card.
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Turner, who has been fencing for 12 years, claims Sullivan seemed ‘upset’ by her display.
"Redmond says to me, ‘Well you know, there is a member on the board of directors here who supports me, and there is a policy that acknowledges me as a woman, so I am allowed to fence, and you will get black carded,’ and I said, 'I know’,” she told Fox News Digital.
Soon after, Turner was informed by a referee that she had forfeited her place in the tournament.
After being black-carded, she was asked to sign documentation acknowledging her surrender.
Turner believes it is ‘unfair’ that the United States Fencing Administration (USFA) allow transgender participation in female sports.
In a statement to UNILAD, a spokesperson for USA Fencing said Turner was not penalized for her protest, but for simply refusing to fence an 'eligible opponent'.
"According to the FIE (International Fencing Federation) Technical Rules, specifically Article t.113, a fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason," the spokesperson said.
"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 has also since said they ‘understand’ that the conversation on equity and inclusion pertaining to transgender participation in sport ‘is evolving’.
They said: “We 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.
"We respect the viewpoints on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the matter evolves.
“It's important for the fencing community to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be conducted respectfully, whether at our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to progress is by respectful discussion based in evidence."
USA Fencing added that its current transgender and non-binary athlete policy is designed to expand access to the sport of fencing while creating an inclusive safe space.
“The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day,” a spokesperson said.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT national hotline at 888-843-4564, available Monday to Friday 4pm-12am ET and 12pm-5pm ET on Saturdays.
