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WNBA congressional inquiry on player eligibility

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2026-10-22 00:38 UTC → 2026-10-22 15:43 UTC · added ~~removed~~

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has responded to a congressional inquiry led by Representative Marlin Stutzman and House Republicans regarding the league’s player eligibility requirements and its definition of ‘women’ under its collective bargaining agreement. The inquiry follows plans by former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft to challenge league rules. While the league’s agreement stipulates that ‘only players who are women are eligible to play,’ it has not provided an explicit biological definition of the term in its correspondence. In a formal ~~response dated October 16,~~ response, Engelbert addressed the eligibility of Freedom and White, stating they are ineligible to play because they are ‘both men.’ While this clarifies the status of the two individuals, the league has not provided the broader, detailed biological definition of womanhood requested by lawmakers. Enes Kanter Freedom criticized the commissioner on social media, questioning her authority to define his identity. Representative Stutzman welcomed the response, viewing the league’s classification as an acknowledgment of biological sex distinctions in sports.

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