Fencer who refused to face trans opponent speaks out after receiving most serious punishment in her sport
Warning: This article contains discussion of discrimination against the trans community which some readers may find distressing.
A fencer that was black carded for refusing to take on a transgender competitor has once again spoken out.
Stephanie Turner tossed off her fencing mask and was seen taking the knee when paired with LGBTQ+ athlete Redmond Sullivan at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland last weekend.
The controversial exchange - which was recorded and subsequently went viral online - was made in protest to USA Fencing's allowance of transgender athletes in women's sport competitions.
Advert
"There's nothing for me and there's everything for him", Turner initially told FOX News of Sullivan, failing to use her preferred pronouns.
"Because I have no choice as a woman, as a female, in where I compete. I am a woman and I have an athletic disadvantage to men."
Turner continued: "When I took the knee, I looked at the ref and I said, 'I’m sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women’s tournament. And I will not fence this individual."
Following her protest, she was escorted to the board to explain her decision, before being handed a copy of the association's transgender policy, which was put into place in 2023.
The American board explained of this policy: "[It] is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day.
"USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion, and we're committed to amending the policy as more relevant evidence-based research emerges, or as policy changes take effect in the wider Olympic and Paralympic movement."
Turner was then asked to sign a document acknowledging her black card punishment - which is usually reserved for cases of the most egregious breaches of conduct - and removed from the venue.
Ultimately, she was dealt her severe punishment after breaking a rule put into place by the International Fencing Federation (FIE), which states that no fencer is permitted to refuse competition against another fencer, who has been properly entered, for any reason.
Discussing her punishment in a shock new update, Turner told The Telegraph: "I may never get a fair bout in my life again.
"It’s certainly going to be difficult for me to go to tournaments. People will know in advance that I’ll be there, because all our registrations are public. This isn’t going to blow over for me very easily.
"It’s not like I’m leaving the sport, I’ll be doing this for my whole life. It’s going to be hard for me."
She continued to hit out: "All you have to do is confirm you have lived as a woman for at least a year.
"Nobody is checking any hormone levels, puberty blockers, or official documentation about being male or female.
"Grow your hair out, wear a wig, and you can automatically enter the women’s division."
And touching on the motivation for her protest, Turner revealed that she asked a friend to film it.
"I’ve found that just sending an email doesn’t create any movement on this issue," she said. "It only gets deleted.
"I wanted to cause a fuss. With a black card, an investigation is forced to happen.
"I wanted to show all the women at that tournament that they didn’t have to fence if they didn’t want to."
Following the incident, Sullivan's team, Iconic Fencing Club, also released a statement.
"Red has followed every rule and guideline set forth by the FIE (the international fencing governing organisation) and USA Fencing (the national organisation)," her representatives told the Daily Express US.
"She has every right to compete in the events that she qualifies for, and has long since met the criteria to do so.
"Fencing is rooted in a deep tradition of honour, sportsmanship, inclusion, and respect, and in a sport that prides itself on these values, the type of behaviour expressed by Red’s opponent has no place.
"Iconic Fencing Club supports Red in her fencing journey and will continue to do so in the future."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT Foundation on 0345 3 30 30 30, 10am–6pm Monday to Friday, or email [email protected].
Rhianna Benson