A seasoned fencer has come forward to explain her side of a controversial decision that sent shockwaves across the U.S. sports community.
The incident, which took place during a Maryland-based tournament, has ignited debate over fairness, safety, and the inclusion of transgender athletes in competitive women’s sports.
Stephanie Turner, a 31 year old athlete from the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia, found herself at the center of a growing cultural conversation after she made a bold and unexpected move during the Cherry Blossom Open on March 30.
She had already won four matches that day and appeared poised to advance further in the event.
But when Turner saw the name of her next opponent, everything changed.
Instead of stepping forward to compete, she quietly removed her mask, knelt on the piste, and delivered a personal message to her challenger.
“I’m sorry, but I will not fence you. You’re a man, and I’m a woman, and this is a women’s tournament. I have much love and respect for you, but I will not fence you,” Turner later told Fox News Digital, recounting the moment.
Her opponent, 20 year old Redmond Sullivan, is a transgender woman fencing for Wagner College.
Turner’s protest led to her immediate disqualification when the referee issued a black card—one of the sport’s most severe punishments, representing a definitive and negative end to a fencer’s competition.
She was also required to sign documents acknowledging the forfeit.
According to USA Fencing, the decision to disqualify Turner was not based on her protest, but her refusal to compete against a properly registered opponent.
“Under the FIE Technical Rules, specifically Article t.113, a fencer is not permitted to refuse to fence another properly entered fencer for any reason,” a USA Fencing spokesperson stated to UNILAD.
“Such a refusal results in disqualification and the corresponding sanctions.”
But Turner stands firm in her belief that she acted out of concern for her own well-being in what she describes as a “combat sport.”
“I did this for my own physical safety,” she told the New York Post. “In a competition setting, men do fence a lot harder than women, and I don’t want to get hurt.”
The situation comes at a time when political and athletic institutions are divided over policies surrounding transgender inclusion in sports.
Earlier this year, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” banning transgender athletes from female categories in federally funded events.
USA Fencing, however, continues to enforce a transgender and non-binary inclusion policy allowing athletes to compete in alignment with their gender identity after one year of hormone therapy.
The organization acknowledged that the “conversation on equity and inclusion is evolving” and remains open to evidence-based changes in the future.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova voiced support for Turner, stating she was “fuming” over the black card and questioned the fairness of the situation.
Turner, who has fenced for over 12 years, said she used to avoid tournaments with transgender participants but now finds it financially impossible to skip competitions.
“Ultimately I’d never be able to fence if I was just avoiding every tournament where there was a transgender person,” she said.
Despite the backlash, Turner remains unapologetic about her decision.
She believes her protest was not just about a single match but about a broader need for open dialogue, fairness, and safety in women’s sport.
Feature Image Credit: (X/@icons_women)
