The NCAA, led by president Charlie Baker, does not plan to adjust its rules on transgender athletes despite a recent US Supreme Court ruling allowing states to ban transgender girls and women from participating in female school sports.

In a July 5 interview on CBS News’ Face the Nation, Baker explained that the NCAA had effectively banned transgender athletes from women’s sports in late January 2025 by restricting participation to those assigned female at birth and excluding athletes assigned male at birth or undergoing testosterone therapy. He noted there are no restrictions for participation in NCAA men’s sports, which he described as “the open network.”

Baker, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts, said the NCAA’s policy was adopted in response to an executive order signed by Donald Trump early in his second term. “We needed some sort of clarity around what the national standard for this would be – and we adopted and comply with the standard that was put forth by the administration,” Baker told CBS senior political correspondent Ed O’Keefe. He added, “I think what happens at the state level is a different question.”

The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on June 30 upheld laws in conservative states West Virginia and Idaho that exclude transgender girls and women from female sports. These prohibitions have been replicated in at least 25 other states. The ruling overturned prior lower court judgments from two transgender students—one in college and one in high school—who had sued after being barred from competing in West Virginia and Idaho.

Baker’s comments suggest the ruling could have far-reaching consequences, as states are likely to view the Supreme Court decision as a green light to enforce similar bans. However, it remains unclear how the ruling will affect ongoing legal challenges in states such as California and Connecticut.

Notably, before becoming a prominent rightwing media figure, Gaines tied for fifth place with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships.

Sources