Biological males can’t compete in girls’ sports under a new rule announced this week by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association.
NIAA’s rule says male student athletes can only compete in NIAA-sanctioned sports designated for boys or coeds. The NIAA, which oversees sports at secondary schools in Nevada, said the sport must align with the sex listed on the student’s original birth certificate.
Female student athletes can only participate on a boys’ team if a corresponding team is unavailable for girls, and they must qualify for that team. Female players can participate on teams designated for girls or co-ed.
This new regulation reverses a rule the NIAA, which oversees sports at secondary schools in Nevada, made in 2014 that allowed transgender student athletes to participate in sports that corresponded with their gender identity. Under the old rules, transgender track and field athlete Diamond Solorzano, a biological male attending North Valleys High School in Reno, won two state championships in 2023 in girls’ track and field.
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The new rule, which doesn’t allow biological males to play on a girls’ team, reflects the organization’s dedication to “the evolving landscape of interscholastic sports,” said NIAA Executive Director Timothy Jackson.
“By refining our approach to governance and prioritizing student athletes, we are taking important steps to uphold fairness and opportunity for all participants,” he said.
Nevada Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony celebrated NIAA’s decision to make sure “high school girls can compete in a protected category exclusively for female athletes.”
“Girls deserve a level playing field, and this action helps ensure they can compete, grow and succeed without having to compromise safety or fairness,” Anthony said.
In January, the lieutenant governor formed the Task Force to Protect Women’s Sports. This group examines policies impacting female athletes.
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Marshi Smith, the task force chair, applauded the NIAA’s new rule, saying that its high school sports policy is now in line with federal law.
The Center Square contacted the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada and the nonprofit Advocates for Trans Equality, but they did not return with a comment before press time.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
