KANSAS (KSNT) - Earlier this week, Sen. Roger Marshall joined 23 senators in penning a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) urging the organization to require only biological female students to participate in women's sports.
The letter sent on Aug. 6 addresses the president of the NCAA Charlie Baker and claims the Biden-Harris administration is causing an 'unprecedented assault on Title IX', the federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools.
"Women deserve that even playing field and chance to compete, one that can only be achieved by ensuring that only females compete in women’s sports," an excerpt from the letter to the NCAA reads. "We urge you to follow the lead of the NAIA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport and adopt policies that protect women’s sports."
Marshall was joined by senators Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy, Mike Crapo, Tedd Budd, Pete Ricketts, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Kevin Cramer, Roger Wicker, Steve Daines, James E. Risch, James Lankford, John Thune, Cynthia Lummis, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Joni K. Ernst, Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville and Marsha Blackburn.
In August of last year, the NCAA announced it had completed an exhaustive third-party gender equity assessment. Following the assessment, the NCAA said it was recommending changes to ensure women's sports receive equitable support.
"Staff have been implementing recommended changes to ensure that women's sports receive equitable support and that the experiences of student-athletes in those sports are every bit as inclusive, fulfilling and rewarding as those of their counterparts in men's sports," NCAA President Charlie Baker wrote. "The NCAA has made great strides in closing gaps, and recent progress was analyzed by outside experts and released last week. Progress has been made, but more work remains."
As part of the effort, the NCAA hired Felicia Martin as the senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement.
"The NCAA has made a concerted effort to implement gender equity principles throughout our work, and this gender equity progress report confirms that those efforts are enhancing the experiences of college athletes, especially for those participating at NCAA championships across all sports," Martin said. "In addition to focusing on equity in 88 championships this past year, we have made additional strides toward equity of opportunity in Division I women's basketball with the creation of the WBIT and the first College Basketball Academy for women. We still have work to do, but we are proud of these results."
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