A women’s college volleyball match has been forfeited amid controversy surrounding the presence of a trans player.
Boise State announced the forfeiture of Saturday’s game with San Jose State on the school’s athletics website without providing a specific reason.
“Boise State volleyball will not play its scheduled match at San Jose State on Saturday, September 28,” the statement said. “Per Mountain West Conference policy, the Conference will record the game as a forfeit and a loss to Boise State. Broncos will next compete against Air Force on October 3.”
Meanwhile, the Mountain West Conference has been notified by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) of athlete safety concerns regarding Blaire Fleming, a redshirt junior at San Jose State who happens to be transgender.
Boise State’s exact concerns have not been directly addressed. However, one of Fleming’s teammates, Brooke Slusser, has said that Fleming has admitted to being biologically male. Surpass.
Fleming has been cleared by San Jose State to play for the school’s women’s volleyball team for three seasons and will join the team in 2022.
A recent volleyball game was canceled after Boise State refused to play San Jose State
The NCAA also released a statement regarding the cancellation of the game, which resulted in the Spartans’ record improving to 10-0.
“College sports are the premier stage for women’s sports in America and NCAA members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition for all student-athletes in all NCAA championships.”
Boise State is reportedly the third school to decline or have considered withdrawing from a scheduled game against San Jose State.
Outkick has published portions of ICONS’ letter to the Mountain West Conference.
“Over the past several weeks at the Mountain West Conference (MWC), we have spoken with distraught student-athletes and their parents, coaches and administrators about a crisis in MWC women’s volleyball,” Outkick said in the letter to the conference.