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EXCLUSIVE: Fencer Stephanie Turner became a prominent campaigner to protect women’s sports in 2025 after images of her kneeling in protest against a transgender opponent went viral in April.
It was the last USA Fencing competition he participated in. In the nine months since then, USA Fencing has come under scrutiny. congressional hearingfaced multiple lawsuits over the issue of trans inclusion, changed its gender eligibility policy to allow only women to compete in women’s competitions, replaced the president of its board of directors, and even issued a statement acknowledging that it is seeking to earn the trust of its athletes and fans after a year of controversy.
But Turner suggested he is seeking more assurances when asked by Pak Gazette Digital if he would consider returning to US fencing competitions in the wake of recent changes.
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“This change in leadership at USA Fencing is simply a game of chairs. These Board members are cut from the same cloth and, without a careful look, will resort to the same policies that gave them a Congressional hearing in the first place. Due to the ongoing lawsuits, I prefer to return when the dust settles,” Turner said.
USA Fencing responded on whether Turner would be welcome back.
“USA Fencing welcomes participation from any eligible athlete who meets our current membership requirements and competition rules. Our focus remains on fostering a safe, respectful and positive environment for everyone involved in the sport,” the organization said in a statement provided to Pak Gazette Digital.
When Turner took a knee in protest of a trans fencer at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland during the last weekend of March, he received a black card, the most severe sanction in the sport. She was disqualified from the event, escorted from the venue and then given a 12-month probationary period by the organization.
But Turner chose to step away from the organization entirely and focused her attention on activism to protect women’s sports.
Turner testified before the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) subcommittee hearing about transgender athletes, which became a major flashpoint in the political conflict over the protection of women’s sports in the US.
USA FENCING SEEKS ‘WINNING THE TRUST’ OF ATHLETES AND FANS AFTER A YEAR PLAGED BY TRANSGENDER CONTROVERSIES
Turner previously told Pak Gazette Digital after the May hearing that he would work to push for leadership changes at USA Fencing after stepping away from the sport.
“To be honest, I’m going to push for people to resign. I would like to see some people resign because of comments they’ve made, especially in public, that are harassing and intended to humiliate concerned women, mothers and daughters,” Turner said.
USA Fencing’s board of directors then voted to modify its policy that prioritized states with LGBTQ-friendly laws for competition host sites and a policy that may have prevented the playing of the national anthem at some events, at its June 7 meeting.
Then in July, USA Fencing changed its transgender participation policy to allow only female competitors to participate in the women’s category. The change was made to ensure compliance with the USOPC’s new athlete safety policy, which now cites the President donald trump“Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports” Executive Order.
In October, former USA Fencing board chairman Damien Lehfeldt declined to seek re-election. Paralympic medalist Dr Scott Rodgers was elected the organisation’s new president, becoming the first active athlete and first para-fencer to lead the board.
In late November, USA Fencing provided a statement to Pak Gazette Digital, expressing its desire to gain trust among fans and athletes.
“USA Fencing remains deeply committed to earning and maintaining the trust of our athletes, fans and the fencing community at large. The election of Dr. Scott Rodgers as Chairman of the Board reflects our dedication to athlete-centered governance and the continued growth of fencing at all levels,” the statement said. “We recognize the challenges of the past few months and are focused on moving forward with integrity, transparency and a clear vision for the future.”
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U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) (C) speaks with Stephanie Turner (L) and Payton McNabb (R) during the hearing on “Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” held by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, District of Columbia, on May 7, 2025. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
USA Fencing will grow the sport in the NCAA levelannouncing that Arcadia University in Pennsylvania and Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey will add men’s and women’s fencing teams to their collegiate sports beginning in fall 2027.
The organization is currently being sued by American Olympic fencer Margherita Guzzi Vincenti, along with fellow competitive fencers Emma Griffin and Patricia Hughes, who allege that USA Fencing knowingly allowed biological males compete in women’s divisions while announcing women-only events at the 2025 North American Cup (NAC) in Kansas City, Missouri, in January.
