USA Fencing’s transgender saga takes a new turn as organization defends barring transgender athlete from women’s event
Just a year after a female fencer was suspended and punished for refusing to face a transgender person, her competitor was banned from competing in the same event.
In this year’s Cherry Blossom Open, a tournament sanctioned by USA fencing at the University of Maryland, trans fencer Dinah Yukich, 43, was denied entry, according to the Daily Record.
Last year, at the 2025 Cherry Blossom Open, female fencer Stephanie Turner went viral after kneeling against an opponent and was black-carded.
The incident sparked a hearing, and the US Olympic team changed its policies in July to comply with President Donald Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” order.
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Now, as USA Fencing has amended its policies to comply with the order, Yukich has filed a civil rights complaint after he was reportedly banned, according to The Daily Record. The complaint reportedly includes one count of denial of public accommodations based on sex and gender identity, and one count of aiding and abetting a discriminatory policy.
USA Fencing provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the incident, and standing by the current policy of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee citing Trump’s executive order.
“USA Fencing cannot comment on the specifics of potential lawsuits. But we can say in general that, as the National Governing Body for Olympic and Paralympic fencing in the United States, we are required to comply with the athlete eligibility guidelines issued by the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC),” the statement read.
A source inside USA Fencing told Fox News Digital of Yukich’s complaint, “We think it’s important to note that we have not received notice of any lawsuit filed by this person against USA Fencing in the state of Maryland.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Yukich’s attorney Susie Cirilli for comment.
US OLYMPIC TEAM TO COMPLY WITH TRUMP’S LAW ‘TO MAKE NO MEN THE OFFICIAL ORDER OF WOMEN’S SPORTS’
Stephanie Turner, a US bowler who refused to compete with a transgender high school athlete, speaks outside the US Supreme Court as justices hear arguments over the state’s ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports in Washington, DC, on Jan. 13, 2026. (Oliver Contreras/AFP)
Cirilli told the Daily Record, “If you hold an event where members of the public can participate, you have to follow state law.”
Last year, Turner’s kneeling made her famous in the “Save Women’s Sports” campaign. This period has brought greater awareness and scrutiny of USA Fencing policies.
The agency was the subject of two lawsuits over its handling of the transinclusion policy, and the agency’s former chairman was fired by GOP lawmakers at a congressional hearing last May. In October, USA Fencing’s chairman was replaced.
Then in late November, USA Fencing issued a statement to Fox News Digital saying it was committed to “earning” trust after a year of controversy.
“USA Fencing remains deeply committed to earning and maintaining the trust of our athletes, fans, and the broader fencing community. The election of Dr. Scott Rodgers as Chairman of the Board demonstrates our commitment to athlete-centered governance and the continued growth of fencing at all levels,” the statement read.
“We recognize the challenges of the past few months and are focused on moving forward with integrity, transparency, and a clear vision for the future.”
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Stephanie Turner, a US fencer who refused to compete with someone who is transgender, testifies alongside Payton McNabb and USA Fencing Board chairman Damien Lehfeldt during a House Oversight DOGE Subcommittee hearing on transgender people in women’s sports on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2025. (Oliver Contreras/AFP)
The organization is now taking steps to protect the women’s division in competitions, but Yukich is giving USA Fencing a fight on the other side.
Yukich sued USA Fencing and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) in October 2025 after being banned from competing in women’s events. The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey, says the ban violates state anti-discrimination laws and follows a policy change that requires transgender athletes to compete based on the sex they were assigned at birth.
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