NCAA VP suggests changes are coming to trans athlete policy after Trump's executive order is signed

"We know that this is an issue and a national conversation happening around participation," she said. "The Board of Governors is right now having conversations about what potential next steps night be, but this is absolutely one of those issues that is ongoing, but without a national standard that can be applied across the board, all of us are making decisions based on what we think is the best for student athletes and opportunities." 

Martin added that she expects more clarity on a national standard later in the day from Trump. She also said that the Board of Governors would make its decisions on any policy changes based on the specific details of the executive order. 

In addition to Trump's executive order, the NCAA may get even more clarity on an incoming federal standard if the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act passes through Congress. The bill, which would ban federal funding for any institution that allows trans athletes in girls' and women's sports, has already made it through the House of Representatives. 

The NCAA has had a policy in place to allow trans athletes to compete against women dating back to 2010. The 2010 NCAA Policy on Transgender Student-Athlete Participation states that biologically male athletes are allowed to compete in the women's category after undergoing at least one year of testosterone suppression treatment. 

This policy has resulted in multiple lawsuits against the NCAA and its member schools. Former NCAA swimmer and current conservative activist Riley Gaines is currently leading a lawsuit over her experience of having to compete with and share a locker room with trans swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 national championships. She is joined by several other women athletes who have also been affected by trans inclusion. 

Another lawsuit was filed Tuesday evening, when three of Thomas' former UPenn teammates came forward with their own experiences of having to share a team and locker room with Thomas and were allegedly gaslit by their university administrators and fed pro-trans ideology. 

NCAA President Charlie Baker addressed concerns over the issue of female athletes having to share teams and locker rooms with trans athletes during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in December. There, Baker insisted that female athletes have the option to find other accommodations if they're uncomfortable sharing with transgenders. 

"Everybody else should have an opportunity to use other facilities if they wish to do so," Baker said.

Baker also says that the NCAA's policies that allow trans athletes to compete against women are based on federal standards. 

However, despite that statistic, the issue has become a national debate over the last year, with several other instances of it happening at the youth and high school level, prompting national outrage. 

Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.

The issue is even believed to have affected the outcome of the 2024 election. 

And 6% said it was the most important issue of all, while 44% said it was "very important."

"It's sad the NCAA lacks the integrity and moral clarity to protect their female athletes on their own. But I'm grateful the American people elected a man who was clear on his promises: he's getting men out of women's sports," CWA legislative strategist Macy Petty told Fox News Digital.