The event will see athletes permitted to take performance-enhancing drugs
© Enhanced Games
Olympic wrestling gold medalist Kyle Snyder pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct after he was arrested in connection to a prostitution sting last week.
The decorated American wrestler initially faced a charge of engaging in prostitution after he was taken into custody this month in Columbus, Ohio. He was at a hotel at the time of the arrest.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The 29-year-old was ordered to pay a $250 fine. Snyder said he has already completed a one-day program for people accused of solicitation.
He appeared at the hearing via video. Snyder said he has learned a lot about himself and that he "plans on making much better decisions."
"I learned about the impact these decisions have on not just my family but the community," he said.
Snyder became the youngest American wrestler to win Olympic gold at age 20 during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, and he followed that up with a silver at the Tokyo Games.
He lost in the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics. He was also a three-time NCAA champion at Ohio State.
He recently signed on with the Real American Freestyle wrestling league, which has pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan as its commissioner and is slated to hold its first event on Aug. 30 in Cleveland.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
There is now a heavy favorite in the flag football competition at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
NFL owners unanimously approved a motion Tuesday that allows NFL players to participate in the summer games.
Flag football is making its first appearance three years from now when the Olympics return to Los Angeles for the first time since 1984.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"Players have expressed to us a great desire for the honor of competing in the Olympics, and we're excited that our members will be able to represent their country on the highest international stage," NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell said in a statement. "We look forward to working with the league, IFAF and Olympic authorities on the terms of their participation to ensure players who compete will do so with protections to their health, safety and job."
When he heard the news he'd be allowed to participate, Justin Jefferson said he was "at a loss for words."
"To think about the chance of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal, it’s a dream," he said.
The league has experimented with flag football, replacing its Pro Bowl with skill competitions, including a flag football game.
NFL OWNERS TO DISCUSS REVISED TUSH PUSH BAN, PLAYOFF AND FLAG FOOTBALL PROPOSALS
Last month, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said interest in competing in the Summer Olympics has been a hot topic in the league, adding a resolution on the issue may be forthcoming.
"Well, I’ve heard directly from a lot of players who want to participate and represent their country, whether it’s the United States or a country that they came from," Goodell said in April.
"I think that's something that we'll continue to discuss with, not just the union, but also the clubs. I think both of those are things that we'll probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days."
Several players have shown interest, including Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Aaron Jones, and Kyle Juszczyk. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who won the Super Bowl in February, was also recently tabbed the flag football ambassador for the Games.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Tyra Mae Steele is poised to become a rising star on the WWE NXT roster as soon as she steps into the ring on the brand following her "WWE Legends and Future Greats" ("WWE LFG") victory.
For Steele, pro wrestling was not always in the cards.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Anyone who watched the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 may know Steele as Tamyra Mensah-Stock. She won the gold medal in the women’s 68-kilogram freestyle competition, becoming the first female African American and first Black female wrestler to win Olympic gold.
She became a viral sensation during the Summer Olympics.
However, she told Fox News Digital in a recent interview that the drive to stay on the wrestling mountain top began to wither away and that freestyle wrestling was becoming more of a chore.
"I’m a natural athlete. God gave me a natural ability to just crush people and I love doing it and I enjoy doing it. When I won the Olympics, I had a lot of pleasure in it, but it was during COVID when nobody was around, and it was very, very unfortunate that there wasn’t anybody in the crowd," she said. "I wrestled for another two years and I didn’t have much love for it.
"Every time I would wrestle somebody, it was easy overseas. And what I love is putting in hard work and having somebody combat me and just having that fight. That what brings me joy and pleasure – I don’t know why, I’m sadistic, but whatever you want to call it, it’s the fighter in me."
WWE STAR ZELINA VEGA RECALLS WRESTLING IN NJ, MAKING HISTORY AS US CHAMP AND TOUTS SUMMERSLAM
Steele said she got "bored" with Olympic training, and when WWE knocked on her door, she answered. She entered WWE in 2023 with hopes of eventually getting to the main roster.
"When I found out that WWE wanted to take me on, I’m thinking, ‘This is going to be a new venture and this is going to be exciting, it’s going to be something that’s fresh for me,’" she said. "And I feel like for me, it was my calling from God. It’s been an absolute blessing with me being here. I have found, I swear, joy in life all over again."
Putting weight cutting behind her and the ability to showcase her personality more was something that appealed to Steele as well. She embraced the new challenge in a new sport.
"So, why am I here? I’m here because I feel like I’m called to be here," she told Fox News Digital. "I’m here because I enjoy the fight. I’m here because I get a fresh start to be a new person and to get my face and my energy into new eyes. And, I can also bring my fans that are like, ‘No, wait, do another Olympics.’ No, no, no. See me in the WWE. It’s gonna be epic."
Steele won the "WWE LFG" competition on the women’s side and now gets a chance to really feature her skills in NXT.
She will join an exciting division that features female wrestlers who could be poised to make the leap to either "Raw" or "SmackDown" at a moment’s notice.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
American Olympic rugby star Alev Kelter will face a judicial hearing and potentially lengthy suspension after being sent off in a women’s rugby test on Saturday for stamping on the head of an opponent.
Team USA was playing against Australia, who went on to celebrate a 27-19 victory in Saturday's contest.
Upon a video review, referees issued a red card around the 79th minute of action in the Pacific Four Series test. Officials determined Kelter forcefully stamped on the head of Australian center Georgie Friedrichs.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Microphones picked up a referee saying, "Twelve, blue (Kelter), is going to receive a permanent red card because this is thuggery, it is deliberate and it is very dangerous foul play.
"She’s clearly stamped on the head of the Australian player. That’s reckless, that’s dangerous and she’s going off."
US RUGBY SEVENS STAR ILONA MAHER ADMITS BRONZE MEDAL IS 'WEARING A LITTLE BIT'
Friedrichs appeared to avoid any major injuries in the incident. Team USA coach Sione Fukofuka later apologized to the Australian players.
Foul play in rugby that involves contact with the head is treated with extreme seriousness. Rugby, like many contact sports, has changed its rules in an effort to limit the danger of concussion and other head injuries.
Kelter is a three-time US Olympic representative in rugby sevens and won a bronze medal in Paris last year. She previously played ice hockey and soccer for the University of Wisconsin.
In rugby, judicial hearings over foul play usually take place within 48 hours of a match.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Several current NFL stars have expressed interest in competing in flag football in just over three years when the Summer Olympics return to the U.S.
On Thursday, the league announced team owners will consider a resolution concerning whether active players can participate in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Last month, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said interest in competing in the Summer Olympics has been a hot topic in the league, adding a resolution on the issue may be forthcoming.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"Well, I’ve heard directly from a lot of players who want to participate and represent their country, whether it’s the United States or a country that they came from," Goodell said in April.
"I think that's something that we'll continue to discuss with, not just the union, but also the clubs. I think both of those are things that we'll probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days."
The resolution that will be considered permits one player from each NFL roster to compete in the 2028 Games. An exemption would be granted for each team's designated international player representing his home country.
Injury protection and a salary cap credit for players injured while competing in the Olympics would also be instituted, according to the resolution. Agreements on standards for field surfaces would also be in place.
Flag football will debut as an Olympic sport in 2028. The Los Angeles Olympics will introduce four other new sports — baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse and squash.
The 2028 Olympics are slated to begin in mid-July. The Games are not expected to overlap with NFL training camp schedules.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Kyle Snyder, an Olympic gold medalist and recent signee of Real American Freestyle, was arrested in a prostitution sting in Ohio on Friday, police said.
Snyder was one of 16 men arrested in the sting in Columbus, police Sgt. Joe Albert said. The 29-year-old was charged with engaging in prostitution and released at the scene.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Police posted ads for escort services online, and Snyder allegedly texted the number, agreed to meet with the person and paid in cash for oral sex, according to The Columbus Dispatch. He was set for a court hearing on May 19.
Fox News Digital reached out to Snyder and Real American Freestyle for comment.
Snyder was a part of the wrestlers who were announced to have joined the new wrestling league started by Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff.
He won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and a silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He is a three-time world champion and won three national championships at Ohio State. He was inducted into Ohio State’s athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.
He competed in the 2025 Muhamet Malo Tournament in Albania earlier this year. He finished with the bronze medal after he suffered a loss to Japan’s Arash Yoshia in the 97-kilogram division.
He won the Zagreb Oben with victories over Richard Vegh, Batyrbek Tsakulov and Abolfazi Babaloo.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
American Olympian Anita Alvarez needed to be rescued from the pool when she fainted and nearly drowned at the World Aquatics Championships in June 2022.
The artistic swimmer eventually helped Team USA win a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Games, but it was the moment when her coach rushed into the pool to save her two years prior that stuck with the sports world for months before the Olympics began.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
She opened up about the incident in an interview with People magazine, which was published on Saturday.
"I remember suddenly beginning to see light through my eyes, and thinking, ‘Oh, I’m not breathing,’ just as they were starting to put an oxygen mask on me,’" she said.
Alvarez said the entire incident "blew up way more than" she would have thought.
"But learning how those photos inspired people changed the way I looked at it," she said.
Alvarez is now focused on her career outside the pool. She joined the U.S. Air Force and graduated from basic training in January. She is a member of the World Class Athletic Program, which helps military members continue their training while serving the country.
She has since returned to the pool to gear up for the world championships later this year in Singapore with hopes of returning to Team USA for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Alvarez has three bronze and one silver medal in the world championships.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Pearne-Webb led Great Britain to a first ever the nation’s first Olympic hockey gold since 1988
© PA Archive
Just six weeks after women's fencer Stephanie Turner was disqualified and escorted out of a tournament for kneeling in protest of a trans opponent, she watched the man in charge of her punishment get grilled for it in a federal hearing.
USA Fencing Chair Damien Lehfeldt was grilled by Republican lawmakers at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee's "Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" hearing on Wednesday.
After the hearing, Turner told Fox News Digital that she would devote herself and her platform to pushing for resignations among key leadership figures in USA Fencing.
"I'm going to be pushing for people to resign, to be honest. I'd like to see some people resign for the comments that they've made, especially publicly, ones that are harassing and meant to humiliate concerned women, mothers and daughters," Turner said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
USA Fencing has provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing Turner's calls for leadership change.
"We respect Ms. Turner’s right to share her views. The volunteer members of USA Fencing’s Board, elected by our membership, remain focused on serving athletes and meeting our obligations under the Ted Stevens Act and other governing-body rules. No leadership changes are under consideration," the statement read.
Lehfeldt, who was subpoenaed and did not come voluntarily, made things harder on himself ahead of the hearing with a series of Instagram stories that were later blown up and used against him on the committee floor. In one post, which went viral before the hearing, he responded to a question that asked if he was "okay" with putting female fencers at a disadvantage with a simple, brash answer: "yeah."
Then, during the hearing, Lehfeld admitted multiple times he regretted answering that way and admitted the question required a "more-nuanced" response.
"He was under oath, but I was surprised that he admitted having written a fake response that he posted on his Instagram," Turner said. "So the simple admission that he knows what he's doing, and the intimidation tactics that he's been employing online, and he knows that they're wrong, and he hadn't redacted them until that point, it took a hearing, a subpoenaed hearing for him to do that, it was surprising."
USA Fencing provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing its chair's social media posts on Wednesday.
"Mr. Lehfeldt’s pre-hearing social posts were made in a personal capacity. Before and during the hearing, he clarified that the comments do not reflect USA Fencing policy and expressed regret for any confusion they caused," the statement read.
However, that was just the start of things for Lehfeldt. Throughout the afternoon, he faced his fair share of insults and personal comments from Republican committee members.
Rep. Tim Burhcett, R-Tenn, asked Lehfeldt whether he would let his daughter fence against "a man." Lehfeldt suggested he would allow it while boasting about his organization's safety precautions.
"As long as the competitor has met all the hormonal requirements and complies with the policy, I would be okay with it," Lehfeldt said.
Later in the hearing, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., suggested that Lehfeldt was "not" a man for his organization's gender eligibility policy.
"Real men protect women, you're not one," Mace said.
Mace even asked Lehfeldt to simply apologize to Turner for punishing the fencer, to which the chair declined and pointed out that Turner received a black card for her refusal.
However, Turner was not looking for an apology.
"I want more than an apology. I want a change in policy and I want people to start speaking the truth again. And an apology is just empty words without actions to me, so I don't know how far it would go for me," Turner said.
The organization first enacted its current trans-inclusion policy in 2023. It allows transgender athletes to compete in the women's category at both the junior and senior level after completing one calendar year of testosterone-suppression treatment. Proof of compliant hormone therapy must be provided prior to competition, but the organization has taken even further steps to prioritize its trans competitors.
USA Fencing announced in late April that it is preparing to change its gender-eligibility policy in the aftermath of the controversy with Turner.
"In the event that USA Fencing is forced to change its current stance in accordance with oversight bodies or federal legislation, the new policy states athletes competing in USA Fencing-sanctioned tournaments must compete according to their biological sex," the announcement read.
The proposed updated policy ensures that the women's category "will be open exclusively to athletes of the female sex." The men's category "will be open to all other athletes who are otherwise eligible for competition."
Education Secretary Linda McMahon previously announced that the newly formed Title IX investigations team will be probing the incident involving Turner and trans competitor Redmond Sullivan.
Meanwhile, Turner is on a hiatus from fencing in the aftermath of the controversy.
"I don't see how I can spend the money to go to a tournament and have there be multiple officials that I know who are deeply against me," Turner said. "That's just not a fight that I want to be in the middle of right now, I'd rather take this fight elsewhere."
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Josaia Raisuqe, a rugby star who medaled for Fiji at the Paris Olympics, died after a train reportedly struck his vehicle as he drove to training.
Raisuqe’s rugby club, Castres, confirmed his death Thursday. He was 30 years old.
"Castres Olympique is in mourning," the club said in a statement on its website. "It is with heavy hearts that we learned of the death this morning of our player Josaia Raisuqe in a road accident.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"The entire CO family is devastated by this terrible news. Josh had been a member of the club since 2021. He was a wonderful teammate, much loved by everyone, including the Castres supporters who had embraced him. We extend our sincere condolences and thoughts to his family and loved ones."
The death of Raisuqe shocked Castres supporters, who paid tribute to him just hours after his death. They were reportedly in the presence of his wife, as hundreds gathered in front of Pierre-Fabre Stadium, Castres’ home, to mourn Raisuqe.
RUGBY FANS HOLD THEIR BREATH AS FIREMEN RESCUE DANGLING PARACHUTIST
Raisuqe was part of Fiji’s rugby sevens team in Paris, which finished in second place at the Olympics to earn a silver medal. He was credited with a try against the United States during pool play, and he started for Fiji against France in the gold medal match.
Raisuqe had been playing professionally in France since 2015, joining Top 14 champion Stade Francais that year. Raisuqe also played for Nevers, a second-division squad.
He became so excited after a win in 2021 he lifted the referee over his head when the final whistle blew, and he was issued a red card for the incident.
Raisuqe became a flanker for Castres in 2022, when the team made the Top 14 final.
"He was a radiant boy on and off the field, a pillar of the Fijian community we have at the club and to which we are very attached," Castres chairman Pierre-Yves Revol said in a statement.
"It is also difficult at this time not to mention the faith of all these (Fijian) players and of Josaia. My thoughts are with his fiancée and his entire family."
Raisuqe last played on the wing for Castres less than two weeks ago.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Female athletes Stephanie Turner and Payton McNabb testified to members of Congress at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee's "Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" hearing on Wednesday.
At one point during the hearing, the two women were approached by Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas.
"'You're both very courageous. You're very courageous being here, and I want to say thank you for all of this,'" Crockett said to the two women, Turner told Fox News Digital.
"And I said ‘Payton and I both took time out of our day to be there, and I find it very disrespectful that you would co-opt this hearing that is about me and Payton and make it about your own politics.’"
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Crockett had just used her turn during the hearing to divert the conversation away from protecting women's sports, the main purpose of the hearing, to condemn President Donald Trump for other issues. Crockett previously attempted to speak out of turn earlier in the hearing.
Then Crockett even made light of the issue of trans athlete inclusion by turning her monologue into a game she called "Trump or Trans." The game featured Crockett asking another witness whether to blame Trump or trans people for a series of unsubstantiated issues that included "increasing the price of everything" and "ignoring the constitution." The witness responded "Trump" all 12 times.
Crockett has been outspokenly opposed to Republican efforts to keep trans athletes out of women's and girls' sports, even previously mocking Americans who claim to have been impacted. Yet, she tried to be complimentary with McNabb and Turner, according to them.
"I think she was lying," McNabb, an Independent Women Ambassador, told Fox News Digital. "I did not believe one word she said, because literally the theatrics, and just how she acted literally the whole time and then trying to come over and whisper and be nice girl to us. I don't know what happened, it was like a whole other person than what we all saw 10 seconds before she got over there."
Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett for further comment.
Crockett's antics were one of just several incidents that highlighted a hearing of chaos that involved multiple shouting matches between committee members and witnesses, as well as plainly questionable comments. Many such comments confused, frustrated and offended Turner and McNabb.
McNabb suffered permanent brain injuries in high school after getting spiked in the head by a trans opponent during a volleyball match. She then had to watch opposing witness Fatima Goss Graves, CEO of the National Women's Law Center, suggest that the way to prevent other women from facing similar injuries is to prevent spiking in volleyball altogether.
"I would argue that the answer is to ensure people can't spike volleyballs into other people's heads," Goss Graves said during the hearing when responding McNabb's story.
For McNabb, Goss Graves' answer was startling.
"That was just absolutely ridiculous," McNabb said. "The fact of the matter is, that day and that injury was unlike anything else I've ever experienced, and it's because it was a man who hit me in the face, it's really just that simple."
What came as an even bigger shock to McNabb was when Goss Graves offered to work with the former volleyball player to help her recover from her brain damage, during the hearing.
"That's not happening. This woman is obviously not sane, and I don't know why she would think I would ever want some medical advice or advice in general from her," McNabb said.
Turner, who went viral in April for refusing to face a trans opponent at a fencing match and getting punished by USA Fencing, took particular offense to comments made by Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Cal. During Simon's turn, she suggested that protecting women's sports would lead to bringing back racial segregation and that Black women would be disproportionately targeted by trans athlete restriction laws.
"I find that, as a Black woman myself, to be quite offensive," Turner said.
"I find it offensive because they lead with this statement ‘as a Black woman, I’m a Black woman.' Well, I'm a Black woman, I was born in Washington D.C., I was raised in one of the bluest parts of America in Montgomery County, Maryland, and no, I don't agree with you, that's wrong."
Wednesday also marked the first time Turner came face-to-face with USA Fencing chair Damien Lehfeldt, who was subpoenaed to the hearing, since her viral kneel protest. Turner was given a black card for refusing to face the trans opponent, disqualified and escorted out of the venue, and then given a 12-month probation.
Lehfeldt was aggressively pressed by Republican committee members throughout the hearing about his organization's pro-trans policies and punishment of Turner.
At one point, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., used her time to ask Lehfeldt to apologize to Turner. Lefheldt did not apologize upon the request, and in response, Mace suggested Lehfeldt was "not" a man.
"Real men protect women, you're not one," Mace said.
Turner said she was not surprised by Lehfeldt's refusal to apologize and would not have accepted it even if he did.
"An apology is just empty words without actions," Turner said.
Turner added that after Wednesday's hearing, she sees the next big goal in the movement to protect women's sports is to push USA Fencing to make concrete changes to its gender eligibility policy to protect women competitors.
The organization said it is preparing to amend its current policies that allow biological males to compete with women and girls in the event that it is "forced" to change it.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon previously announced that the newly formed Title IX investigations team will be probing the incident involving Turner and trans competitor Redmond Sullivan.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
USA Fencing chairman Damien Lehfeldt clarified a photo posted on his private Instagram account on Wednesday, showing that he was holding up two fingers.
Lehfeldt’s initial photo appeared to show him holding up a middle finger ahead of a hearing in front of Congressional lawmakers on keeping men out of women’s sports. The photo showed his other finger cropped out of the photo.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
A caption, which read "game day," was placed on the top of the photo.
USA Fencing shared the full "uncropped" photo from Lehfeldt with Fox News Digital. The Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) didn't appear to crop the photo.
The hearing comes weeks after fencer Stephanie Turner knelt in protest of a transgender opponent at an event. It sparked outrage against the organization, and it led Turner to step away from the sport altogether.
The organization said last month it was preparing to amend its current policies that allow biological males to compete with women and girls in the event that it is "forced" to change them.
"In the event that USA Fencing is forced to change its current stance in accordance with oversight bodies or federal legislation, the new policy states athletes competing in USA Fencing-sanctioned tournaments must compete according to their biological sex," the announcement read.
The proposed updated policy ensures that women's category "will be open exclusively to athletes of the female sex." The men's category "will be open to all other athletes who are otherwise eligible for competition."
The change would go into effect across sanctioned competition levels, including Division I, IA, II, III, Junior, Cadet, Youth, Veteran and all other categories.
"If adopted, this policy is solely to ensure future compliance required by oversight organizations. This policy does not reflect any change in our strong support for each individual's right to identity," the announcement read.
"We recognize that many people — particularly transgender and non-binary athletes and their supporters in fencing clubs nationwide — will be profoundly impacted if this policy takes effect."
Turner is expected to be a witness in the hearing along with Payton McNabb, the former volleyball who suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of a spike from a transgender athlete.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
USA Fencing chairman Damien Lehfeldt appeared to send an explicit message hours before he was set to be questioned in front of Congressional lawmakers on keeping men out of women’s sports.
Lehfeldt will be one of the witnesses to hear questions from the House Oversight Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., the subcommittee chair, Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., the subcommittee ranking member, and Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, are expected to be among the lawmakers at the hearing.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The USA Fencing official posted a photo of himself giving the camera the middle finger before the hearing started.
He captioned the snap, "Game day."
Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) posted the photo on its social media account.
The hearing comes weeks after fencer Stephanie Turner knelt in protest of a transgender opponent at an event. It sparked outrage against the organization, and it led Turner to step away from the sport altogether.
The organization said last month it was preparing to amend its current policies that allow biological males to compete with women and girls in the event that it is "forced" to change them.
"In the event that USA Fencing is forced to change its current stance in accordance with oversight bodies or federal legislation, the new policy states athletes competing in USA Fencing-sanctioned tournaments must compete according to their biological sex," the announcement read.
The proposed updated policy ensures that women's category "will be open exclusively to athletes of the female sex." The men's category "will be open to all other athletes who are otherwise eligible for competition."
The change would go into effect across sanctioned competition levels, including Division I, IA, II, III, Junior, Cadet, Youth, Veteran and all other categories.
"If adopted, this policy is solely to ensure future compliance required by oversight organizations. This policy does not reflect any change in our strong support for each individual's right to identity," the announcement read.
"We recognize that many people — particularly transgender and non-binary athletes and their supporters in fencing clubs nationwide — will be profoundly impacted if this policy takes effect."
Turner is expected to be a witness in the hearing along with Payton McNabb, the former volleyball who suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of a spike from a transgender athlete.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Gary Hall Jr.’s Olympic medals were destroyed in the Los Angeles fires. On Monday, he was awarded 10 replica medals at IOC headquarters to replace the ones he lost.
Like most of Hall’s belongings, the original medals burned four months ago at his home in the Pacific Palisades.
"I’ll do a better job of taking care of these," Hall said jokingly.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The 50-year-old received a new set of five gold medals, three silvers and two bronze medals that he earned swimming for the United States.
IOC president Thomas Bach said presenting Hall Jr. with 10 medals on the same day was a "unique ceremony."
"I don’t think that it happened ever before and I hope it will never have to happen again," Bach told Hall. "We hope also to give you a moment of relief and joy which will help you now in the further process to get over what you had to go through with this tragedy."
Hall brought to the ceremony a gold medal he found deformed in his home in the aftermath of the wildfires.
LOS ANGELES KICKS OFF JOURNEY TO 2028 OLYMPICS IN STYLE
Hall won gold in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games in the 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay and took home two silver medals in the 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle in those same games.
The Phoenix, Arizona, native won two more gold medals in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in the 50m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay while also collecting a silver and bronze medal in Australia.
In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Hall Jr. won his final two medals. A gold medal in the 50m freestyle and a bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
"Having friends and family, I am a very lucky man," Hall said. "The support that I was offered from the athletic community has buoyed me through the darkest of nights."
"That is what this (Olympic) family is about – rivals and friends. I am just so appreciative to all of them. I can’t thank the Olympic movement enough for their support through this very difficult time."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS), a competitive swimming membership organization with over 60,000 adult swimmers, was thrust into national controversy last week after reports surfaced that a trans swimmer won five women's events.
USMS confirmed to Fox News Digital it is currently conducting an eligibility review in response to a request from a competitor at the meet.
Louisiana woman and long-time swimmer Wendy Enderle said she filed the request for an eligibility review after finding out that one of the competitors she has faced for years was transgender, via a news article stemming from last week's incident.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"I feel betrayed. Plain and simple," Enderle told Fox News Digital.
Enderle most recently competed against the trans athlete at the USMS Spring National Championship in San Antonio April 26-27. The trans athlete, Ana Caldas, won gold in five races, including in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle in the 45-49 age bracket against Enderle.
Enderle first ever saw Caldas in person in February 2024 at the World Aquatics Masters World Championships women's 50m freestyle in Doha, Qatar. Enderle finished with a time of 29.19, while Caldas finished in 27.91.
However, Enderle said she did not directly introduce herself to Caldas until a USMS meet in Little Rock, Arkansas, in January. Upon meeting Caldas, Enderle noticed the athlete's muscles and height, but still assumed Caldas was biologically female.
"I knew there was something, but I didn't know what, I had no idea she was a trans female up until this past Wednesday after the meet," Enderle said. "I was shocked… It makes me concerned, it makes me mad."
Enderle submitted her request for an eligibility review against Caldas this past week. One of the main goals of that decision is to keep Caldas from competing in this year's World Aquatics Masters World Championships in Singapore.
"I don't think it's right that she was competing in the women's category, and I don't believe that she should be competing in the women's category this August in Singapore," Enderle said.
"I'm not trying to keep Ana, I'm not trying to keep anyone else from competing. I have nothing against trans individuals, I have nothing against LGBTQ individuals. But I believe in fairness in sports and I don't believe that men should participate in women's sports. I don't think it's fair."
Fellow USMS women's swimmer Angie Griffin also swam with Caldas last week without knowledge of Caldas' birth gender.
The shock of learning the news about Caldas prompted Griffin to write a formal letter of complaint to USMS. The letter also requested the organization to "re-evaluate" that recent Spring National Championship and completely overhaul its current gender eligibility policy.
Griffin competed against Caldas in three races and finished behind the trans athlete in the 50-yard breastroke and 100-yard individual medley.
"I couldn't stop thinking about how the integrity of individual competition had been compromised Why doesn't USMS follow the same competitive standards as the rest of the world and NCAA? Why are athletes asked to accept less transparency and fairness?" Griffin told Fox News Digital "I paid my entry fees, airfare, and hotel, trusting I'd be competing in a women's division defined by biological sex. I deserved to know the truth before stepping onto the blocks."
Griffin's team did beat Caldas' team in the Women's 45+ 200 Free Relay, but Griffin still walked away from the incident feeling concerned.
RILEY GAINES WANTS TO SEND A ‘THANK-YOU NOTE' TO LIA THOMAS – HERE'S WHY
"Reflecting on the meet, that one high point of winning the relay didn't erase the larger concern," Griffin said.
While USMS is currently conducting an eligibility review based on the San Antonio meet, the organization admitted it has never disqualified a swimmer based on gender identity.
"USMS has not disqualified a swimmer from official recognition based on gender eligibility after an event," the organization told Fox News Digital.
USMS gender eligibility policy states that swimmers who identify as transgender are not required to provide documentation on eligibility to participate, until a request for review is made. Still, the organization said that documentation verification is rare.
"If a review request is filed, our eligibility panel — composed of member leaders and subject matter experts — follows a structured, confidential process to determine whether the athlete meets the criteria for official recognition. This includes reviewing documentation the swimmer provides following our published policy," USMS said.
"Cases that require documentation are extremely rare, and we follow a structured process in line with our published rules and policy. This protects athlete privacy and ensures the same standard applies to every swimmer."
USMS policy allows transgender swimmers to participate in the gender competition category in which they identify, and they may also be recognized for accomplishments, if certain conditions are met.
One of the two conditions requires that a hormonal therapy appropriately be administered continuously and uninterrupted in a verifiable manner for no less than one year. The other condition is proof of testosterone serum levels measured during the last twelve months being below five nmol/L (144.25 ng/dL).
Trans swimmers who do not meet those requirements can still participate in the women's category, but their times are removed from the submitted results, and they are not eligible for official times, places, points, records, Top 10 or other forms of official recognition.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The American swimmer was given replicas of all 10 of his Olympic medals that were destroyed in the LA wildfires
© EPA
The 27-year-old had threatened the New Zealand national record with a blazing 10k a day before the incident
© Getty Images for IRONMAN
