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The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) issued a statement Tuesday addressing a sudden controversy involving a player who previously failed a genetic test.
The statement defended Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, who was ruled ineligible to compete for Zambia in a 2022 World Cup qualifying tournament after a test revealed Banda’s natural testosterone levels were above those allowed by the Confederation of African Football.
The statement also comes after Angel City FC’s Elizabeth Eddy published an op-ed in the New York Post last week calling for the NWSL to adopt a stricter gender eligibility policy.
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Barbra Banda of Zambia celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal from the penalty spot during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 Group C match between Costa Rica and Zambia at Waikato Stadium on July 31, 2023 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Hannah Peters – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
“Barbra Banda is one of the best players in the NWSL. Barbra’s selection to the FIFPRO World
“Her contributions to Orlando Pride and the NWSL have been transformative. Any harassment or hate attacks toward Barbra are unacceptable and have no place in our sport, league or communities. We unequivocally support Barbra and all NWSL players.”
Meanwhile, the Orlando Pride issued a similar statement in defense of Banda around the same time as the NWSL on Tuesday.
“Barbra Banda is an excellent teammate, player and role model, and we are proud to have her represent Orlando Pride, our fans and our community. Both in Orlando and on the national stage, Barbra continues to shine, including recently being named to her second consecutive FIFPRO World 11, an award selected exclusively by her peers around the world,” the team said.
“We look forward to continuing to celebrate Barbra and her future accolades, and supporting her journey as one of the many incredible athletes in our league.”
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The statements provoked mixed responses on social networks.
Eddy’s op-ed sparked debate among fans and even earned a rebuke from his teammates.
Eddy argues in the article that the NWSL “must adopt a clear standard,” adding that only players “born with ovaries” should be allowed to play, following the UK Women’s Super League standard, or the league should adopt a SRY gene testsuch as World Athletics and World Boxing.
“Equity and inclusion are core American values. Reasonable people can disagree about where to draw lines, but avoiding the conversation entirely by excluding diverse points of view doesn’t serve us well. In fact, we owe it to current and future female athletes to figure this out,” the 11-year veteran wrote.
Eddy’s Angel City FC teammates, Sarah Gorden and Angelina Anderson, addressed the op-ed at a press conference over the weekend.
“That article doesn’t speak for this team in this locker room. I’ve had a lot of (conversations) with my teammates over the last few days and they’re hurt and hurt by the article, and they’re also upset by some of the things that were said in the article and it’s really important for me to say that,” Gorden said Friday.
“We do not agree with what is written for many reasons, but above all the background is also transphobic and racist. The article ask for genetic testing about certain players and has as its headline the photo of an African player. That’s very harmful and, to me, it’s inherently racist because singling out this community based on their appearance or being different is absolutely a problem. “As a mixed woman, with a black family, I am devastated by the undertone of this article.”
Anderson spoke about what she believed the club represented.
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Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda watches during the NWSL match between Portland Thorns and Orlando Pride at Providence Park on May 3, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. (Soobum Im/NWSL via Getty Images)
“For me personally, when I think about Los Angeles and I think about angel cityI think of a place that was founded on inclusivity and love for all people: that’s our locker room, that’s our staff, that’s our fan base. Angel City is a place for everyone. It always will be. That’s how it was from the beginning, that’s how it will always be. Period,” he said.
“I think there’s an element of timing in this situation where it feels like another really big challenge that we have to go through as a team on top of an already very challenging year. And it’s definitely not the note that we as a group want to end on, so I just want everyone to know that we’re doing our best in the locker room to preserve the respect and belonging of this team and we hope to end the season on as positive a note as possible.”
