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Transgender Athlete Sadie Schreiner Claims Ban from USATF Events Amid Policy Changes

Sadie Schreiner, a transgender track and field athlete, recently shared a video on social media asserting that she has been banned from participating in events organized by USA Track and Field (USATF) at the Maine Association Indoor Championships. The president of USATF Maine, however, denied these claims, stating that Schreiner did compete in the event without facing any disqualification.

In her video, recorded by a campfire, Schreiner conveyed her fears about potentially having run her last competitive race in the United States. “I very likely just ran what will be my last meet in the United States… I will find a way to keep competing, but I doubt that will be in the United States,” she expressed.

Schreiner criticized a recent revision in USATF’s policy on transgender athletes, which now aligns with World Athletics’ guidelines, precluding athletes who have transitioned through male puberty from competing in the women’s category. This change deviates from the previous policy used by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which permitted biological males to compete as women.

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At the NCAA DIII outdoor track and field championships in May 2024, Schreiner finished third in the 200-meter race and had previously won both the 200m and 400m races at the USATF Open Masters Championships held in March. In the 400m, she technically recorded a victory due to the lack of other competitors’ recorded times, while her win in the 200m involved racing against significantly younger opponents.

The updated USATF policy aligns with the guidelines established by World Athletics and represents a notable shift, as it previously referred to IOC policies. According to Schreiner, she was informed of this change only hours before her competition, leading her to believe that the ban was a direct attempt to prevent her from participating. “USA Track and Field purely did this just to ban me from competing,” she stated in her video.

Mark Dennett, president of USATF Maine, confirmed that Schreiner did participate in the competition, contradicting her claim of being banned. “The athlete did compete and there were no disqualifications in the meet,” he affirmed.

This controversy emerged following a turbulent period marked by significant political tension surrounding transgender inclusion in sports. In early March, the Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights found the Maine Department of Education and local schools in violation of Title IX for their policies supporting trans inclusion in girls’ sports. The department mandated corrections, threatening referral to the Department of Justice if compliance was not achieved.

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Previously, Schreiner gained notoriety while competing for Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she recorded impressive victories over female rivals, prompting debates on the fairness of her participation. Following an executive order restricting transgender athletes from women’s sports, RIT announced that Schreiner would be ineligible to compete for their track team, adhering to the revised NCAA policy imposed shortly after the order was enacted.

Despite her successes, including setting records at the Liberty League Championship, Schreiner criticized institutions that have limited her participation due to state laws prohibiting transgender athletes in women’s sports. She stressed that hurdles faced during transfer applications were complicated by these laws, thus limiting her opportunities to compete.

Schreiner’s ongoing challenges illustrate the broader conversations surrounding transgender athletes in competitive sports, stirring both support and opposition within the public discourse. As she navigates these new policies and the implications for her athletic career, her story continues to be at the forefront of debates on inclusion, fairness, and the evolving landscape of sports competition.

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