DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (LifeSiteNews) – A gender-confused male recently dominated a female fencing competition.
The man, named “Liz” Kocab, “got past 14-time Vet World champion Marja-Liisa Someroja of Finland to win [his] eighth title,” USA Fencing announced. The competition for older fencers was held last week in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Kocab said competing was how he thanked USA Fencing. “I wanted to support USA Fencing,” he said. “I really did. Otherwise, I was actually thinking of stepping away. But the fact that it was in America, I thought that was important to support the USA. This is my way of saying thanks to USA Fencing.”
The victory, as well as the congratulatory announcement, drew swift criticism.
“Winning a title as a male in the women’s category doesn’t make you a champion. It makes you an entitled cheat,” former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines wrote on X.
American Principles Project called it an “injustice to women.”
🚨 Liz Kocab (male) wins Women’s Fencing Championship title.
An injustice to women. pic.twitter.com/wlZZGyLXyC
— American Principles 🇺🇸 (@approject) October 16, 2023
USA Fencing announced last year that men are allowed to compete against women as long as they have been suppressing testosterone for at least 12 months.
“Within our divisions, USA Fencing will not discriminate on the basis of gender identity, regardless of sex assigned at birth, or any other form of gender expression for participation in any division,” the group stated. “As such, athletes will be permitted to participate in USA Fencing sanctioned events in a manner consistent with their gender identity/ expression, regardless of the gender associated with the sex they were assigned at birth in accordance with the guidelines listed.”
“It is critical that we protect the rights of nonbinary and transgender athletes in fencing,” CEO Phil Andrews said at the time. “Even as we plan to conduct more scientific research into the physiological effects of gender transition as they pertain specifically to the sport of fencing, we remain unanimously and steadfastly supportive of transgender athletes having their place in fencing.”
Even the woke fencing group has its limits, though, implicitly rejecting the idea that someone can switch genders back and forth on a regular basis – the policy states “athletes will not be permitted to modify their gender during the season.”
Youth athletes have fewer hurdles. “Youth transgender athletes will be permitted to compete without restrictions — they must do nothing beyond simply stating their identity.”
Gender-confused men have had a history of presenting themselves as female and then dominating in sports, including in swimming, skateboarding, and cycling.