Stephen A. Smith Urges WNBA to Define Women by Biology in 2026 Eligibility Row
Updated
Updated · AOL · Aug 11
Stephen A. Smith Urges WNBA to Define Women by Biology in 2026 Eligibility Row
3 articles · Updated · AOL · Aug 11
Summary
Stephen A. Smith said the WNBA should end its transgender-athlete dispute by explicitly tying player eligibility to biology, arguing the league’s current rule that only women may play is too vague.
The ESPN host pointed to language in the collective bargaining agreement that does not define women or set criteria on sex at birth, gender identity, hormone levels or physical characteristics.
Kathy Engelbert sent teams a memo last Friday saying a task force of team presidents and general managers would discuss the issue, while the league defended inclusion and condemned hate.
The debate intensified after Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said transgender women should not compete in women’s and girls’ sports, drawing support from Vice President J.D. Vance and backlash across the league.
The controversy has since spread beyond policy into on-court and online clashes, including DiJonai Carrington’s ejection after a hard foul on Cunningham and renewed scrutiny of the WNBA’s rulebook.