A policy meant to restore fairness in women’s sports is being ignored in plain sight. At least three biological males continue to play in girls’ club volleyball events sanctioned by USA Volleyball, exposing the persistent resistance to protecting female athletes even after federal intervention.
USA Volleyball updated its gender eligibility rules in July 2025 to align with President Trump’s Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” The policy requires athletes to compete according to their biological sex as listed on their original birth certificate.
This change followed guidance from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and aimed to comply with Title IX and federal law. Yet reports indicate enforcement remains lax, allowing males to displace girls on the court.
This situation reveals a deeper cultural failure: the unwillingness of institutions to prioritize biological reality over ideology, even when law and science demand it. Families invest thousands in their daughters’ athletic dreams, only to see those opportunities undermined by males who, in some cases, actively conceal their sex.
The Cases Undermining the Policy
“Bri” Deiley, a male athlete from Centaurus High School in Lafayette, Colorado, competes on the Goldfish 18U team in the Rocky Mountain Region. Deiley has sought to present as female and was referenced under a female pseudonym in a Supreme Court amicus brief opposing sex-based sports protections. His mother described efforts to keep his biological sex hidden from teammates. Deiley also excels in girls’ track and field, recently winning events that should belong to female competitors.
Logan O’Brien plays for the Sportime Gold 15 team in the Garden Empire Volleyball Association. Reports suggest O’Brien uses an altered birth certificate and that coaches know his biological sex yet allow participation.
Sawyer Chiappano, competing for New York Elite 14 Gray, makes no attempt to hide his status and promotes himself as a “GenderCool Champion.” His team has secured multiple tournament wins this season.
These incidents occur months after USA Volleyball publicly committed to sex-based categories. The organization has not publicly responded to inquiries about enforcement.
The Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) condemned the apparent failures. A spokesperson stated that governing bodies must enforce eligibility rules to protect the significant investments families make in their daughters’ sports. Placing the burden solely on athletes and families amounts to a dereliction of duty. ICONS further recommended cheek-swab testing as a minimally invasive and accurate method to verify sex when questions arise.
This pattern echoes broader challenges in implementing the executive order. While some institutions have adjusted policies, pockets of ideological resistance persist. Colleges like San Jose State faced federal scrutiny for allowing males on women’s volleyball teams, yet compliance remains uneven.
Parents and female athletes deserve better than performative policies. When organizations fail to uphold clear biological standards, they betray the girls who train, compete, and dream of fair play. The integrity of women’s sports hangs on whether leaders will finally choose truth over trends.
A Call to Moral Clarity
Scripture reminds us of the duty to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice. As Galatians 6:9 (KJV) declares, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Advocates for female athletes must persist in defending the categories that allow girls to thrive without unfair disadvantage or compromised safety.
USA Volleyball and its regional associations must move beyond paper policies to rigorous enforcement, including verification measures where needed. Anything less dishonors the purpose of competitive sports and the federal directive designed to restore fairness. The young women investing their youth on the court should not have to compete against biological males. Their futures, and the future of women’s athletics, depend on leaders willing to stand firm.
