The WNBA is currently in the middle of a polarizing debate surrounding the involvement of trans athletes in women’s sports.
As the league weighs its next steps, a rival league has made it clear it will follow the path set by the IOC and FIBA.
Project B Co-Founder Alana Beard Blasts WNBA Amid Trans-Athlete Debate
The WNBA has been blighted by off-court controversies all year long, and is currently facing immense pressure to change its gender eligibility guidelines by banning trans athletes from competing in the league.
Project B, an international basketball league set to launch in the coming months, has now revealed that it will follow in the footsteps of the International Olympic Committee and adopt a policy that prevents transgender women from competing in the female category.
The IOC adopted this policy in March with the aim of “ensuring fairness, safety and integrity in elite competition, to promote equality, enhance Olympic value and increase visibility for the female category.” FIBA, the governing body for international basketball, aligned itself with the IOC framework while announcing its own review of the matter.
Alana Beard, a former WNBA player and Chief Basketball Officer of Project B, criticized the WNBA for letting off-court issues, such as the trans-athlete debate, dominate league headlines.
“Where’s the accountability, the integrity, the intentionality? All of it is needed right now, in what could become one of the most defining moments in the history of the sport,” Beard told Front Office Sports.
Project B is set to feature several big names from the WNBA, including Kelsey Mitchell, Azzi Fudd, Sophie Cunningham, and Alyssa Thomas.
Cunningham helped spark the trans-athlete debate in the WNBA last month by taking a stance against it. The Fever guard’s comments sparked a nationwide debate, with many revealing their views both for and against the issue.
In the wake of the debate, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo to teams, explaining that a task force of team presidents and general managers would be convening this week to discuss the issue.
The league has been forced to take this step after former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White both announced they would declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft, challenging the current eligibility criteria.
Meanwhile, Project B will take place in 6 cities worldwide, with events in Valencia (Spain) and Tokyo (Japan) already announced.
