CALGARY — The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has told Republican lawmakers that former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible to compete in the league, but its response stopped short of providing the definition of “woman” that lawmakers requested.In a letter dated October 16, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed questions from Representative Marlin Stutzman and four other Republican lawmakers regarding the league’s player eligibility standards.“With respect to your questions regarding eligibility, only women are eligible to play in the WNBA and the individuals you cite in your letter are both men,” Engelbert wrote.The response follows a September inquiry asking the league to clarify its eligibility requirements, including how it defines women under its collective bargaining agreement. Article XIII, Section 1(a), states that only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA, but the provision does not offer a more specific definition..Freedom and White, both former NBA players, announced plans to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft while identifying as women. Their announcements prompted renewed scrutiny of the league’s eligibility criteria and how those standards are applied.Stutzman and the other lawmakers sought clarification on how the league determines eligibility and why the two former players were deemed ineligible.Following Engelbert’s response, Stutzman characterized the statement as recognition of the distinction between gender identity and biological sex.“By clearly labeling Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White as men they have acknowledged that identifying as a woman does not change basic human biology,” Stutzman said in a statement to OutKick.Freedom, however, argued that the commissioner’s response did not address the underlying question of what specific criteria the league uses to determine eligibility.“Cathy Engelbert cannot clearly define what a woman is, but she’s absolutely certain that I’m a man,” Freedom told OutKick.He has called for the league to clarify its rules, arguing that eligibility decisions should be based on transparent and consistently applied standards..The exchange comes amid broader debate over transgender participation in women’s sports, including questions about competitive fairness, eligibility policies and the treatment of transgender athletes.In August, Engelbert acknowledged that transgender participation in women’s basketball would continue to be discussed within the league. The WNBA subsequently held discussions with team leaders as it considered the issue.The league’s eligibility rules are part of a collectively bargained agreement with its players’ union, meaning changes to those provisions involve the league’s established labor process.Engelbert’s Friday letter did not announce a new eligibility policy or establish a broader definition of women for future cases.The distinction between identifying someone as ineligible and explaining the standards behind that decision remains central to the dispute.For women’s professional sports, clearly documented eligibility criteria can help establish consistent expectations for athletes, teams and governing bodies. The latest exchange leaves lawmakers seeking further clarity on how the WNBA interprets and applies its existing rules.
