Female volleyball player, 17, left paralyzed with brain damage by transgender opponent who ‘snickered with delight’ after throwing her to the ground

A volleyball player who was partially paralysed by a transgender opponent has criticised the Olympics for allowing biological males to compete in women’s boxing.

Payton McNabb was 17 when a ball forcefully spiked by a transgender opponent hit her in the face, knocking her to the ground and knocking her unconscious for 30 seconds.

The 5ft 11in player appeared to be cackling with delight, Ms McNabb said, after sending her to the floor, as did other players on the opposing team.

Ms. McNabb suffered brain damage and paralysis on her right side, which left her without the hope of a college volleyball scholarship, and she now has difficulty walking without falling.

She told DailyMail.com it was “disgusting” that trans women had been allowed to compete in women’s boxing at this year’s Games in Paris, and she fears women could suffer injuries worse than hers.

She said: ‘There is a biological difference between the two (trans women and women), there is a difference in sport first and foremost.’

“It’s dangerous to have the two (genders) competing with each other, and it’s just not okay. I’m disgusted by this, personally. This is morally wrong and bad.

She added: ‘These women have worked so hard and trained tirelessly to make it to the Olympics, all to have a guy punch them in the face.

‘It used to be illegal for men to hit women, and now people are broadcasting it on TV and watching it. It’s such a strange reality that we live in now.’

Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan were disqualified from the Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi in March last year after they failed to pass a gender test.

But the organizers of the Paris Olympics have given them permission to compete in the women’s class.

Mrs. McNabb, now 19, knows all too well the dangers of biological males having physical imbalances.

The North Carolina native was hit in the face by a ball traveling 70 mph during a game in September 2022.

The ball was struck by the tall, thin transgender player, who towered over her female teammates, both on her side and the other.

Mrs McNabb lay unconscious on the floor for 30 seconds, with her arms upright in a ‘fencing position’.

Doctors diagnosed her with a traumatic brain injury, concussion, partial paralysis on her right side, whiplash and vision problems, all of which she still suffers from almost two years later.

Ms. McNabb, who is now a communications student at Western Carolina University, says she still has difficulty moving the right side of her body, which causes her to frequently lose her balance and fall.

Her mental acuity has also been affected. Due to the damage, Mrs. McNabb requires hours of extra tutoring and extra time on tests each month.

In addition, she is struggling with much worse eyesight, anxiety and depression as she fights to recover from her injuries.

The student, who played volleyball, softball and basketball, also had her athletic career cut short early on. She says she can no longer play the way she used to.

According to experts, there is a risk of injuries, such as concussions, when playing volleyball, regardless of the gender of the players.

Women who are hit by balls from transgender players report moving faster and with more force than ever before.

Research has also shown that transgender players in women’s sports maintain a biological advantage over their female opponents, even years after their transition begins.

A major study conducted last year found that trans women exposed to testosterone at a young age possess at least eight physical and mental traits that could give them an advantage in sports.

Trans women were also found to have greater muscle mass and bone density, as well as larger lungs, higher blood oxygen levels, and more connections in the area of ​​the brain responsible for spatial awareness.

And a British study A 2021 study involving 46 transgender women found that they maintained a push-up and sit-up advantage over biological women for up to two years after starting feminizing hormones. It also showed that they had a speed advantage while running.

Concerns have been raised over the participation of transgender athletes in women’s boxing at the Olympics after video showed Imane Khelif throwing hard punches at her rival Brianda Tamara of Mexico.

The competition took place in December 2022. Ms Tamara said afterwards that she felt ‘completely out of sorts’.

“Her punches hurt me a lot,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way in my 13 years as a boxer, or even sparring with men.”

‘Thank God I got out of the ring safely that day.’

She has also since posted photos online showing severe bruising on her face after the match.

Khelif claimed online that they were banned from competition due to a “conspiracy” to prevent Algeria from winning a gold medal.

Ms Payton’s experience has led her to become an ambassador for the Independent Women’s Forum, which works to promote fairness in women’s sport.

A statement she made to the North Carolina Legislature last year played a key role in the decision to pass a law barring transgender athletes from women’s sports.

She says she does it for her younger sister and other female athletes who come after her, so they can avoid the same injuries.

The athlete who caused Ms McNabb’s injuries (who Ms McNabb did not want to be named) has still not apologised and has only messaged her once since then to explain why she took the jab.

The player also previously wrote in a TikTok video: ‘I literally hit her because she pulled the net off when she had to block and she gave me an easy chance to shoot down the line.

“And I CLEARLY didn’t mean to hit her in the face. Believe it or not, I’m not as bad as you think I am.”