California CIF Changes Girls Track Rules After Trump Threatens Federal Funding

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has introduced a pilot entry process for the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships to allow additional biological female student-athletes to qualify for participation, addressing concerns about fairness amid controversy over transgender athletes competing in girls' sports. This new rule permits biological females who narrowly missed qualifying due to the presence of transgender competitors to participate, ensuring more inclusive competition without displacing cisgender girls. The change was announced shortly after former President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from California in response to a transgender athlete, AB Hernandez, qualifying for girls' events. Governor Gavin Newsom and CIF officials have supported the pilot as a balanced and respectful approach to a complex issue, with the governor's office noting that events will now score separately for biological boys, transgender athletes, and biological girls, potentially resulting in multiple first-place winners in some events. The pilot is presented as a one-time adjustment for the upcoming championships and aims to uphold California law and educational values around gender identity and fairness in sports. CIF emphasized the importance of providing all student-athletes with opportunities to belong, connect, and compete while navigating this sensitive matter.