American fencer Stephanie Turner told Fox News that the issue turned her from lifelong-Democrat to a Republican

American fencer Stephanie Turner takes the knee in protest of her opponent at an event in USA. (Screengrab via Fox News)

Stephanie Turner, an American fencer, was disqualified from a women’s tournament in Maryland, USA, after refusing to face an opponent she claimed as transgender. Turner was shown a black card and was also disqualified from competing in further rounds after taking a knee in protest against her opponent. “This person is a man, and I’m a woman”, Turner was quoted as saying by Fox News. She added that the issue of trans athletes in women’s sport had turned her from a life-long Democrat to a “new Republican conservative.”

Elaborating on her decision to not face her opponent, Turner told the conservative news agency: “I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women’s objections regarding [its gender eligibility policy]. I took a knee immediately at that point. He was under the impression that I was going to start fencing. So when I took the knee, I looked at the ref and I said, ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women’s tournament. And I will not fence this individual.’ He didn’t hear me, and he comes up to me, and he thinks that I may be hurt, or he doesn’t understand what’s happening. He asks, ‘Are you OK?’ And I said, ‘I’m sorry. I have much love and respect for you, but I will not fence you.”

Explaining its decision to disqualify Turner, USA Fencing said: “A fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason.” The official body also clarified that this rule exists to preserve the ‘integrity’ of the sport.

While media organisations like Fox News identified Turner’s opponent by name, wire service The Associated Press refrained from identifying the fencer since they are yet to publicly comment on the incident or reveal their gender identity

A USA Fencing spokesperson was quoted by Fox News Digital as saying that Turner was simply black carded for refusing to fence not for her stance against trans inclusion.