Republican leaders urge college conference to ban transgender athletes amid San Jose State controversy

Republican leaders from Congress expressed "serious concern" with the Mountain West Conference about transgender women participating in women's sports.

Thirteen officials signed a letter to Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, urging the conference to prohibit transgender athletes from playing against biological women.

"We write with serious concerns about the safety and fair competition standards for female athletes participating in the Mountain West Conference," the letter, signed by members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, says.

The letter was sent amid controversy at San Jose State University, where Blaire Fleming, a transgender woman, plays for the women's volleyball team.

The Mountain West logo on display during a college football game between the Idaho Vandals and the University of Wyoming Cowboys Sept. 7, 2024, at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyo.  (Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Several teams have forfeited games against the Spartans this season.

"Title IX was established over 50 years ago to even the playing field for women. Since its implementation, women have participated in safer and fairer competition — but recent events have shown this is at risk," the letter states. 

"Recently, members of your conference have forfeited games, risking their competitive standings to ensure the safety of their female athletes. The Mountain West Conference’s failure to prohibit biological males from competing in women’s sports is unfair to the women and girls who have worked tirelessly to compete at the collegiate level. We applaud the bravery of these female athletes and the universities in our home states for taking a stand to preserve Title IX when the Mountain West Conference would not.

"Permitting biological men to play in women’s sports is not equitable; it is an injustice. Under these guidelines, it is only fair that biological males play men’s sports and biological females play women’s sports. Clearly, the Mountain West Conference has dropped the ball.

Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans reacts during the second set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo.  (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

"Life isn’t fair, but sports should be. We urge you to address these inequities in women’s sports in the Mountain West Conference immediately, and we look forward to working with you to support women in collegiate sports."

Fleming has been one of the top players in the conference and an offensive anchor for San Jose State this season, even amid the controversy. Fleming is third in the conference in average kills per serve with 3.86 and amassed 297 total kills on the year despite playing seven fewer games than expected due to forfeits. It's helped give San Jose State the third best hitting percentage in the Mountain West. 

Fleming's teammate, Brooke Slusser, is a part of the lawsuit against the NCAA, and she filed another suit alongside other Mountain West players against the conference over the alleged presence of her transgender teammate. Slusser has alleged the school deliberately hid Fleming's natural birth sex from her and other players on the team and around the conference. 

San Jose State has repeatedly defended the presence of Fleming on the team. 

Blaire Fleming, a redshirt senior at San Jose State University, plays as an outside and right-side hitter on the women’s volleyball team. (San Jose State University)

"Our athletes all comply with NCAA and Mountain West Conference policies and are eligible to play under the rules of those organizations. Our volleyball team members have earned the right to compete, and we are deeply disappointed for them and with them that they are being denied those opportunities through cancellations and forfeits. We are also proud of how they have persevered through these challenges on the court," a statement provided to Fox News Digital by a university spokesperson said.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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