The NCAA has no plans to revise its transgender athlete restrictions following the Supreme Court's decision upholding state bans on trans participation in women's sports, the organization's president said Sunday.
Charlie Baker told CBS News' Face the Nation that the NCAA implemented its policy in late January after President Trump signed an executive order addressing the issue. The ban effectively excludes athletes assigned male at birth or undergoing testosterone therapy from competing in NCAA women's sports, while men's sports remain open to all athletes.
"We needed some sort of clarity around what the national standard for this would be, and we adopted and comply with the standard that was put forth by the administration," Baker said. "I think what happens at the state level is a different question."
The Supreme Court on June 30 upheld laws in West Virginia and Idaho barring transgender girls and women from female sports competition. The 6-3 decision rejected challenges from two trans students, one competing at the college level and another in high school. The ruling determined that such bans do not violate Title IX, the federal civil rights law governing education.
Conservative states have moved quickly to adopt similar restrictions. At least 25 states have enacted laws mirroring the West Virginia and Idaho prohibitions, and legal experts expect the Supreme Court decision to encourage further state-level action. The outcome represents a significant victory for Trump, who made opposition to trans participation in women's sports a campaign issue in his 2024 election bid.
Baker acknowledged the issue carries weight among stakeholders. When asked to rank its importance among NCAA concerns, he said those affected on both sides of the debate feel strongly about it. "I can tell you that having talked to people on both sides of this issue, it matters a lot," he said.
The NCAA president pushed back on suggestions the policy compromises inclusivity. CBS correspondent Ed O'Keefe asked whether the NCAA prioritizes inclusivity and whether its current rules sufficiently reflect that commitment. Baker responded affirmatively on both counts, saying he has no concerns about how the policy operates and believes most NCAA schools share that view.
Baker previously told Congress in 2024 that only 10 trans athletes competed across the NCAA's 500,000-plus student athletes. The issue gained national prominence partly through Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who tied for fifth place with trans swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships and later became a prominent voice in conservative circles opposing trans sports participation.
The NCAA's position suggests the organization views the Trump administration's standard and state-level action as sufficient to resolve the matter without additional NCAA rule changes. Baker's comments indicate the organization intends to maintain its current framework regardless of future legal developments in other states with different approaches to the question.
Author James Rodriguez: "Baker's confidence that the NCAA is on solid footing underestimates the legal turbulence ahead, especially in blue states where courts will likely challenge this orthodoxy."
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