In a move that has shocked both fans and civil rights organizations, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced on Monday that it will introduce mandatory sex verification testing for all athletes beginning with the 2026 season. League officials say the measure is aimed at ensuring “fairness and compliance” with eligibility standards for the women’s division—but critics are calling it invasive, discriminatory, and politically motivated.

The decision has sent ripples across the professional sports world, igniting a fierce debate about gender, inclusion, and bodily autonomy in women’s athletics.

Policy Sparks Immediate Backlash

According to a statement released by the WNBA’s executive committee, the new policy requires all players to submit to sex verification testing “conducted through a medical panel in accordance with league-defined biological criteria.” The league did not specify what methods would be used for verification or how results would impact eligibility beyond stating that “non-compliance may lead to disqualification.”

Among those directly affected is Brittney Griner, one of the league’s most iconic figures and a long-standing advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. The WNBA noted in its release that Griner “will be ineligible to compete” until she completes the required testing. The league’s phrasing—referring to Griner with male pronouns in an official document—was especially inflammatory, prompting outrage from her supporters and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.

“I’m heartbroken and disgusted,” Griner said in a statement posted to her social media platforms. “This isn’t about fairness—it’s about control. Women in sports, especially those who don’t fit a narrow stereotype, are under attack. I urge the league to reconsider before it loses its soul.”

A Line in the Sand on Gender Identity

Supporters of the new policy argue it is a necessary safeguard in the face of rising controversy around transgender participation in sports. Several advocacy groups—including some former athletes—have claimed that allowing transgender women to compete without biological criteria undermines the integrity of competition.

“This isn’t about hatred or exclusion,” said former WNBA player and current ESPN analyst Kelly Harper, who voiced conditional support for the measure. “It’s about protecting fairness. But the way the league is implementing this policy, without transparency or scientific consensus, is dangerous.”

Civil rights organizations, meanwhile, are preparing to fight the policy in court. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued a scathing response, calling the move “a grotesque violation of privacy and dignity.”

“No governing body—especially one in a women’s league—should be policing gender in this way,” said Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice at the ACLU. “This will disproportionately target gender-nonconforming women, queer athletes, and anyone who doesn’t conform to outdated norms.”

Legal and Ethical Questions Mount

Legal experts warn that the WNBA may have opened itself up to a barrage of lawsuits under federal anti-discrimination laws. Title IX—which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities—may be invoked by players who argue the policy violates their civil rights.

“This is legally perilous ground,” said Maya Greene, a sports law professor at UCLA. “If even one athlete is barred from competing based on murky medical guidelines or targeted for looking or sounding different, the WNBA could face years of litigation and reputational harm.”

The NBA, which is affiliated with the WNBA, has yet to publicly comment on the decision.

Players Union Left in the Dark

Perhaps most surprising is that the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) was reportedly not consulted before the policy was announced. In a hastily organized press conference, union president Nneka Ogwumike said the move had blindsided players and represented a clear overreach of authority.

“We were not informed, consulted, or involved in any way. That is unacceptable,” Ogwumike said. “Our players deserve to be treated with dignity and respect—not subjected to invasive policies based on suspicion or social pressure.”

The union has called for an emergency meeting with league officials and is considering legal action if the policy is not rescinded.

Fans and Sponsors Respond

Reaction from fans has been deeply polarized. On social media, hashtags like #LetThemPlay and #WNBAFail began trending within hours of the announcement. Petitions calling for the repeal of the policy gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures in less than 24 hours.

Several major sponsors of the WNBA, including Nike and Gatorade, have issued cautious statements expressing concern and requesting “clarification” on how the policy will be implemented.

“We are committed to supporting inclusivity in sports,” a Nike spokesperson said. “We are in communication with the league to better understand the implications of this new policy.”

What Comes Next?

With preseason training camps just months away, the WNBA now faces immense pressure to respond to the backlash and clarify its stance. Inside sources suggest some members of the league’s board of governors were also unaware that the policy would be announced this week.

In the meantime, players, fans, and civil rights leaders are bracing for what could become one of the most high-stakes legal and cultural battles in the history of professional women’s sports.

Whether the WNBA’s policy stands, gets revised, or is scrapped altogether, one thing is certain: the debate over gender identity in athletics is not going away—and neither is the demand for dignity and fairness on all sides.