The WNBA officially tells Congress that Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible, reigniting a massive debate over women’s sports.
The WNBA has officially entered one of the most controversial debates in sports, and its latest response to Congress is turning heads.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert informed Republican lawmakers that former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible to compete in the league because both are men.
The response comes after the two former NBA players announced plans to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft, claiming to identify as women in an effort to challenge the league’s eligibility policies.
The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement states that only women can participate in the league. However, the agreement does not specifically define what qualifies someone as a woman.
That is where things get interesting.
Despite declaring both players ineligible, Engelbert did not provide Congress with a clear definition of the eligibility standards being applied.
Freedom quickly challenged the response, questioning how the commissioner could determine his eligibility without explaining the league’s criteria.
The controversy has once again placed the WNBA at the center of the national conversation surrounding transgender participation in women’s sports.
For now, the league has made its position on Freedom and White clear. But without a more specific eligibility policy, the larger debate is far from over.
