Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch led 27 other attorneys general Tuesday urging the National Collegiate Athletic Association to restore to female athletes the records, titles, awards and recognitions they earned but were denied because of policies that allowed biological males to compete in female categories.

 

“Female collegiate athletes trained, competed, and triumphed- only to see their recognitions stripped away and devalued by unfair policies that ignored biology,” said Fitch. “I am grateful to be joined by my colleagues from across the country and the Trump administration as we support these women and urge that their records be corrected, restoring the honors they earned.”

 

In the letter, the attorneys general write, “The policies that were created, promoted, and encouraged by the Biden Administration and the NCAA not only enabled biological men to compete against women in sporting events across the country, but denied deserving women the recognitions they had earned in events that you managed…. While we appreciate the steps the NCAA has taken since then, there is far more the NCAA can do for the women athletes that have competed and continue to compete in your events.”

 

The attorneys general continue, “The NCAA should take this step for former athletes to preserve the integrity of Title IX and show your support for the women harmed by years of bad policy. As your website states, ‘Regardless of where they start, student-athletes strive to end each season at one of the NCAA’s 90 championships in 24 sports.’ Women athletes strived, succeeded, and were cheated of what they earned.”

 

 

In February, the U.S. Department of Education also penned a letter asking the NCAA to validate these recognitions.

 

 

Fitch was joined in penning the letter by attorneys general from  Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.