Accusations Emerge as Teen Athletes Forced to Remove ‘Protect Girls Sports’ Shirts at Track Meet

Accusations Emerge as Teen Athletes Forced to Remove ‘Protect Girls Sports’ Shirts at Track Meet

EXCLUSIVE: The California Interscholastic Federation track and field officials find themselves embroiled in controversy as high school girls allege they were compelled to remove shirts reading ‘Protect Girls Sports’ during a postseason event. The CIF has publicly confirmed that these incidents took place.

The CIF Southern Section Division 3 Prelims held at Yorba Linda High School on Saturday transformed into a politically charged event. Competitors and spectators alike used the platform to advocate for the issue of trans inclusion in girls’ sports, with many displaying the shirts, waving picket signs, and addressing the media.

This outpouring of protest arose in response to a biologically male trans athlete competing in various girls’ events, including the high jump, long jump, and triple jump, representing Jurupa Valley High School.

Several female athletes reported to Fox News Digital that they were approached by officials who insisted they remove their shirts, providing no opportunity for them to do so discreetly. Allegations state that officials closely monitored the athletes, demanding compliance on the spot.

Fifteen-year-old Lilly Ingallinera, a student from Brea Olinda High School, shared her experience stating, ‘They didn’t let us go and do anything unless we removed the shirt. They said, ‘you have to remove it right now!’ … He didn’t leave until we took it off.’

Ingallinera described the situation as ‘weird,’ expressing a preference for communication through her coach or a female official rather than a male official.

Seventeen-year-old Julia Teven also alleged that an official would not accept her refusal to remove the shirt. ‘You could tell he was not going to take no for an answer,’ Teven recounted. ‘He was standing right there watching us like ‘you better take it off’. That’s basically how it kind of felt.’

Teven and fellow student Reese Hogan, 16, felt pressured, interpreting the officials’ attitude as a threat to disqualify them from the event. Hogan explained, ‘It wasn’t said but it was implied that if I didn’t take my shirt off then and there, then something could potentially happen to my spot. It wasn’t said but it was implied.’

Witnesses noted that officials approached other competitors wearing the same pro-girls sports shirts, enforcing a uniformity that raised questions about fairness and bias.

According to Hogan, she was compelled to remove her shirt in front of others during warm-ups and again at the entrance, despite holding her gear. ‘I was like ‘Is it okay if I walk in and take it off? I don’t really have hands right now’ and she was like ‘No, you’re going to have to take it off, you can’t come in here with that shirt on,’ Hogan alleged.

Teven, Hogan, and Olivia Viola, another competitor from Crean Lutheran High School, reported that officials justified the removal request by claiming the shirts did not represent official school uniforms. However, they asserted that other athletes wearing non-uniform branded gear were not subjected to the same scrutiny.

Viola expressed her disbelief, stating, ‘I just found it really, like, really, it felt like it was unfair, just kind of targeted at what we were standing for, because the shirts weren’t saying anything offensive.’

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the CIF acknowledged the request to remove the shirts. Their official position cites compliance with school-issued athletic attire regulations while in the event area.

The controversial athletic event further entangled itself in heated debates surrounding trans inclusion in girls’ sports. The competing trans athlete finished in the top ten in the girls’ high jump and long jump and placed first in the triple jump, thereby qualifying for subsequent rounds. Female contestants finishing in 11th place were left without an opportunity to advance.

While the girls waited through intense heat and a weather delay, they felt the heightened police presence was unusual for a high school event, mirroring the ongoing national dialogue over trans athletes in girls’ sports. The competing trans athlete has received attention after breaking established girls’ records during the season.

During the event, spectators exhibited a mix of reactions, alternating shouts of support and condemnation directed at the trans athlete. Footage circulating on social media captured spectators chanting insults, while others cheered only for the trans competitor.

‘It just was bothersome to me. It was a little bit sad to hear people cheering louder for the biological male competing in a female sport than the females competing in the female sports. That part was just a little bit, that part was saddening to me,’ Viola noted.

The girls themselves shared a degree of empathy towards the trans athlete, recognizing that much of the vitriol came from the situation orchestrated by the CIF. ‘I genuinely believe he doesn’t have a harmful intent towards girls sports,’ Teven remarked, underscoring their view that the CIF policies created a problematic environment.

Violence and bullying were condemned by the girls, who stressed the need for respect towards all athletes, irrespective of gender identity. ‘I think it’s 100% on the people in authority who are allowing it to happen,’ Viola concluded.

The CIF is currently facing scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Education regarding potential Title IX violations due to allowed participation of trans athletes in girls’ sports.

California stands at the forefront of this contentious issue after resisting federal directives from the previous administration regarding the participation of trans athletes. Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the complexities of fairness in a recent podcast, acknowledging conflicting emotions surrounding the issue.

As the CIF navigates these turbulent waters, the possible implications for athletes on both sides of the debate could reshape the landscape of competitive sports for young women across California.

Keep following developments as this story continues to unfold.