California’s high school sports league, the CIF, has made another major rule change to its upcoming girls’ track and field state championship in response to growing controversy involving trans athlete AB Hernandez. The changes come amid intense internal and external pressure, including from President Trump’s administration, as Hernandez has dominated female competition in events like long jump and triple jump. Following a previously announced expansion of the competitor pool, the CIF now also allows biological female athletes to be advanced to the finals and awarded medals if they would have been displaced by Hernandez’s performance.
The controversy has sparked backlash from families and activists, with the family of Katie McGuinness, a top female competitor, calling the CIF’s ‘solution’ unfair and an injustice. The DOJ has also launched an investigation into California’s policies allowing trans athletes to compete in female sports, with the school district overseeing Hernandez’s high school receiving notice of the probe. President Trump, meanwhile, has warned of potential federal funding cuts to California over the issue, with his post on Truth Social targeting the state’s approach to the situation.
Other competitors have spoken out against the situation, with Reese Hogan and Julia Teven highlighting the competitive disadvantage faced by female athletes. As the state’s legal and political landscape continues to shift, the controversy surrounding Hernandez and the CIF’s handling of the situation remains a focal point of national debate.