The Georgia Board of Regents has unanimously voted to request that the NCAA and other college athletic organizations prohibit transgender women from competing in women’s sports. The vote aligns with broader legislative efforts within the state to implement similar restrictions.
During their meeting on Tuesday, the regents urged the NCAA and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) to adopt policies similar to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NAIA revised its guidelines in April to largely bar transgender athletes from participating in women’s competitions.
The call for change follows a pledge from Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones to introduce legislation restricting transgender athletes in state colleges, mirroring a law passed in 2022 that banned transgender women from high school sports. Jones expressed gratitude for the board’s decision, calling it a step toward protecting the integrity of women’s sports.
Of the 25 Georgia public universities governed by the regents, athletic affiliations vary. Five institutions are NAIA members, four are aligned with the NJCAA, and the remaining 16, including the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech, participate in NCAA programs. Each organization currently enforces its own rules regarding transgender athletes, which has created discrepancies across sports programs statewide.
Chris McGraw, the board’s chief legal officer, highlighted these inconsistencies, noting that the NJCAA still allows transgender women to participate in some cases, whereas the NAIA only permits participation by athletes assigned female at birth who have not begun hormone therapy. The NCAA recently updated its approach, aligning with sport-specific and international governing bodies.
Georgia Equality, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, voiced opposition to the vote. Executive Director Jeff Graham criticized the board for advancing policies that could stigmatize transgender students. He argued that the university system should prioritize diversity and inclusion rather than endorsing measures that could perpetuate misinformation.
Lt. Gov. Jones’ push for a ban gained traction in August, when the state Senate spotlighted a lawsuit against the NCAA and Georgia Tech. The case, filed by former college swimmers, revolves around a transgender athlete’s participation in the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships held in Atlanta. Witnesses and lawmakers criticized Georgia Tech for hosting the event, though the school denied involvement in determining eligibility.
Georgia’s position on transgender participation has sparked debate. While the state’s high school sports association adopted a ban last year, no such restrictions previously applied to college sports. If adopted, Georgia would join 23 other states with similar bans in place, although some have faced legal challenges.
The NCAA has yet to comment on the regents’ resolution, leaving questions about potential changes to its policies.