Geno Auriemma says the increasingly heated debate over transgender athletes in the WNBA is focused on an eligibility situation the league is not currently facing.
The UConn women's basketball coach addressed the controversy in an interview with TMZ Sports published Aug. 14, arguing that people are treating a hypothetical eligibility question as though it is already affecting WNBA competition.
"Why are we making a big issue over an issue that doesn't exist?" Auriemma asked. He noted that he was unaware of any transgender women currently playing in the league or an immediate case requiring the WNBA to decide whether a particular player is eligible.
An anti-hate task force of team presidents and general managers met Aug. 12 and discussed transgender athletes along with online abuse directed at players, but the meeting produced no new eligibility rules.
Auriemma acknowledged that people are entitled to different opinions about transgender participation in women's sports. His objection was to the amount of attention being devoted to a question he does not see as an immediate WNBA problem.
#WNBA
The UConn women's basketball coach addressed the controversy in an interview with TMZ Sports published Aug. 14, arguing that people are treating a hypothetical eligibility question as though it is already affecting WNBA competition.
"Why are we making a big issue over an issue that doesn't exist?" Auriemma asked. He noted that he was unaware of any transgender women currently playing in the league or an immediate case requiring the WNBA to decide whether a particular player is eligible.
An anti-hate task force of team presidents and general managers met Aug. 12 and discussed transgender athletes along with online abuse directed at players, but the meeting produced no new eligibility rules.
Auriemma acknowledged that people are entitled to different opinions about transgender participation in women's sports. His objection was to the amount of attention being devoted to a question he does not see as an immediate WNBA problem.
#WNBA
2 months ago
