San Jose State University advances to conference championship
Boise State University once again forfeited against San Jose State University in women’s volleyball.
San Jose State is led by a male named Blaire Fleming who calls himself a woman and uses the women’s locker rooms.
“The decision to not continue to play in the 2024 Mountain West Volleyball Championship tournament was not an easy one,” Boise State told the media.
“Our team overcame forfeitures to earn a spot in the tournament field and fought for the win over Utah State in the first round on Wednesday,” the university stated, according to the Associated Press. “They should not have to forgo this opportunity while waiting for a more thoughtful and better system that serves all athletes.”
This is the third time Boise State has forfeited this season against San Jose State. In total, the California university has notched seven victories via forfeit. It will play in the conference championship Saturday.
The decision to forfeit drew praise from former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya. “This is courageous,” she wrote on X.
🚨 UNPRECEDENTED: Boise State forfeits their Conference tournament semifinal match against SJSU, refusing to face male athlete Blaire Fleming. A truly heroic stand for women’s sports, led by sisters @Katelynvankirk & @KierstenVanKirk, who are currently suing the Mountain West for… pic.twitter.com/xfCq478wKd
— ICONS (@icons_women) November 28, 2024
Earlier this week, a federal judge ruled that Fleming can play on the women’s volleyball team. Plaintiffs included Fleming’s teammate Brooke Slusser and associate head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, who was suspended after filing a complaint in relation to the transgender athlete’s participation.
Two sisters that play for Boise State were also plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
Some conflict has occurred between universities and their players. The University of Nevada Reno forfeited its game after athletes objected to playing and the school did not have enough women to field a team, as The Fix reported in October.
The forfeiting teams have won support from Republican leaders in their respective states, including Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, and Idaho Governor Brad Little.
The Mountain West Conference commissioner said several weeks ago she is still learning the “science” of transgender athletes.
“I don’t know a lot of the language yet or the science or the understanding nationally of how this issue plays out,” Commissioner Gloria Nevarez told the AP in October. “The external influences are so far on either side. We have an election year. It’s political, so, yeah, it feels like a no-win based on all the external pressure.”
The American College of Sports Medicine affirmed men have physical advantages over women. “Biological sex is a determinant of athletic performance: adult males are faster, stronger, more powerful than females because of fundamental sex differences in anatomy and physiology dictated by sex chromosomes,” the group stated in 2023.
“Adult males are stronger, more powerful, and faster than females of similar age and training status,” the group concluded. “The sex difference in athletic performance where endurance or muscular power is required is roughly 10-30% depending on the event.”
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IMAGES: San Jose State University
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