Megan Rapinoe rips IOC's new policy to protect women's sports, rejects notion rule is based in science

Former U.S. women's soccer starMegan Rapinoeripped the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for implementing a new policy to ensure fairness across women's competitions.

The IOC said "eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one‑timeSRY gene screening."

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The organization added that the policy was "evidence-based" and "expert-informed." The testing can be conducted via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample.

A presentation at a World Athletics panel in Tokyo in September revealed that 50 to 60 athletes with male biological advantages have been finalists in the female category at global and continental championships since 2000.

The panel was led by the head of the World Athletics Health and Science Department, Dr. Stéphane Bermon, who said sex tests were necessary because of an "over-representation" of DSD (differences of sex development) athletes among finalists, per multiple reports.

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However, Rapinoe rejected the policy in the latest issue of her "A Touch More" podcast.

"Unfortunately, we have to say that all in the same breath as a really horrible rule came out from the International Olympic Committee," Rapinoe said as she praised the transgender community. "They announced a new policy that they're calling, I can't even believe that they're calling it this because it has nothing to do with protecting women, I feel like two people, who played at the very highest level for every competition that you possibly could, don't agree with this and never felt like this was an issue at all, 'The Protection of the Female [Women's] Category.'"

Rapinoe dismissed the notion that the policy was rooted in science and said the IOC was subjecting women to "invasive testing."

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Olympians React To The Ioc Policy Change To Protect Women's Sports

"We already know that biology, as much as we want it to be just nice and clean and tight and perfectly in one category and another, it's not," Rapinoe said. "We know that. So, now what we're doing is subjecting everybody, all women and all people who are identifying as women to this really invasive testing that only to me says like, 'Oh we're just trying to whittle it down to a certain type of woman.' Is that what we're doing? That's really the whole game here.

"They sort of lost the battle on gay marriage and lost the battle on all these things so it's just like, 'We're gonna have this whole campaign for all these years to just hate trans people,' which is such a small percentage of the population. It's actually on a single hand when we're talking about sports. And just like thread the absolute tightest needle thread that you possibly could."

Rapinoe added that the IOC only implemented the rule to appease PresidentDonald Trump'sadministration.

"This committee is framing it as based in science, which it's not," she said. "This will ultimately just prevent people from competing within the women's category that they feel like they have an unfair advantage. It's just really hateful. There's been so few athletes that are trans or competing as trans and it's so blatant on its face. It's a total acquiescence to the Trump administration and to really right-wing conservative politics that really is just bringing down so much hate against such a small percentage of people who are just trying to live their life. It's just horrible and I'm just sickened by it, really."

Conversely, several Olympians supported the IOC's decision.

Kaillie Humphries, a three-timeOlympic gold medalistfor the U.S. and Canada, was among them.

"Today is a great day for women's sports and a big win in the Olympic world," she told Fox News Digital last month. "By implementing the sex testing, it will allow for fair competition. It used to happen years ago, and by bringing it back it will protect the women's category. I think it's very fitting that LA28 will be the games to protect women's sports as it's something that our president has advocated for."

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Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Original article source:Megan Rapinoe rips IOC's new policy to protect women's sports, rejects notion rule is based in science

byCosmopolite

in

April 05, 2026

Megan Rapinoe rips IOC's new policy to protect women's sports, rejects notion rule is based in science

Former U.S. women's soccer starMegan Rapinoeripped the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for implementing a new p...

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Hockey fan goes into labor, gives birth during Oilers game at Rogers Place

The Edmonton Oilers lost to the Vegas Golden Knights at home on Saturday,5-1. Jack Eichel tallied three points with three assists, and Brett Howden scored a goal with two assists. Evan Bouchard scored the lone goal for the Oilers.

However, that might not be the biggest story to come from Saturday's match at Rogers Place.

During the second period, a woman went into labor and eventually gave birth at the arena. Play-by-play broadcaster Jack Michaels revealed the news to viewers during the Oilers' telecast on SportsNet.

"Breaking news: We have word that someone has gone into labor here tonight," Michaels said on air. "There's a baby being born on the seventh floor at Rogers Place as we speak."

"So someone's going to have a great story to tell," he continued. "It would be nice to have the mother join us on 'After Hours' to describe what's happened but that could be asking a bit much."

Michaels was correct in that the new mother and child did not join the "Hockey Night in Canada" postgame show. But five games remain on Edmonton's regular-season schedule before the NHL playoffs, so there are still opportunities for the mother to join host Scott Oake for an interview.

At the end of the show, Oake announced that he is retiring after the season. What better way would there be for him to finish his television career than to talk to a woman who gave birth at an NHL hockey game?

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Sure, there will likely be big hockey games and results to talk about on the verge of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But this is a story that could grip a nation. (Two nations, if the interview is seen in the United States.) There are so many details to be revealed.

Was the baby an early arrival? Who helped with the delivery? Was the father on hand?

Did this happen in a suite? (Probably not, on the seventh floor.) In a row of seats? Somewhere in the concourse? Even with elevators and escalators, whose idea was it to make a pregnant woman go up seven floors? Or is that an indication of how serious a hockey fan she is? Is she even a hockey fan?

In an eventful night at Rogers Place, a fan was also hit by a puck in the stands,according to On3. (He was apparently all right, trying to fire up his fellow fans and pumping his arm as he left the seating area.) There was also a fight on the ice at the end of the game, but the scuffle was broken up quickly.

The Golden Knights are 3-0 sincefiring head coach Bruce Cassidyand replacing him with veteran coach John Tortorella. Vegas (seventh inthe Western Conference standings) could face the Oilers in the second round of the playoffs if both teams win their first-round series.

If a certain new mother is up for it, wouldn't she be a great candidate to drop the ceremonial puck before one of those games in Edmonton?

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

Hockey fan goes into labor, gives birth during Oilers game at Rogers Place

The Edmonton Oilers lost to the Vegas Golden Knights at home on Saturday,5-1. Jack Eichel tallied three points with three...

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Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld Attend Sam Darnold's Wedding 1 Day After Announcing Birth of Baby Girl (Exclusive Source)

Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld attended Sam Darnold's wedding to Katie Hoofnagle on Friday, April 3, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal

NEED TO KNOW

• The Buffalo Bills quarterback and the Academy Award-winning actress attended the event after they announced the arrival of their first baby through a Substack post on April 2

• Allen and Steinfeld are new parents to a girl

Josh AllenandHailee Steinfeldhad a new parents' night out atSam Darnold's wedding this weekend.

The Buffalo Bills quarterback and the Academy Award-winning actress, both 29, attended Darnold's wedding toKatie Hoofnagleon Friday, April 3, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal.

The outing came shortly after the couple announced the arrival of their first baby, a girl, through a Substack post on April 2.

"Hailee and Josh were so sweet on the dance floor, clearly having a blast," a source tells PEOPLE.

"People were politely congratulating them on their baby girl, and they were very kind," the insider continues, adding that "new dad" Allen, along with Darnold's teammates, helped the NFL star and his now-wife Hoofnagle with their "crowd surfing for quite a bit of the night."

Allen wasn't the only NFL star in attendance as Darnold, quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, said "I do" with Hoofnagle.

A source tells PEOPLE that San Francisco 49ers starChristian McCaffreyand his wife,Olivia Culpo, also came to celebrate the newlyweds, as did Seahawks'Cooper Kuppand his wife,Anna Marie Kupp, plus 49ers'Christian Kirk.

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Steinfeld and Allen announced the arrival of their daughter in a post on the actress'Substack, titled "Special Delivery."

"Our baby girl has arrived!!" Steinfeld wrote on April 2. "We're feeling incredibly grateful and blessed and savouring these early moments. Thank you so much for the love and well wishes."

The Bills quarterback told theAssociated Pressin December that he was "overjoyed, absolutely overjoyed" about becoming a father.

Allen added that he is looking forward to raising his child in Buffalo. "I consider this place my home. It's where I've done a lot of growing up. And it's a place that I'll raise a family. It's really cool," he said.

In a Januarypress conference, Allen spoke again about his excitement about being dad. "It's something that I will take with great pride. And we're going to have to figure things out on the go, just like anything else," he said.

"But this is the most important thing I'll ever be in my life, being a dad. And I know I love being a football player, and I love being a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. But I'm looking forward to this one," Allen added.

Read the original article onPeople

byCosmopolite

in

April 05, 2026

Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld Attend Sam Darnold's Wedding 1 Day After Announcing Birth of Baby Girl (Exclusive Source)

Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld attended Sam Darnold's wedding to Katie Hoofnagle on Friday, April 3, PEOPLE can excl...

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Trump threatens to strike Iran's infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz isn't reopened

U.S. President Donald Trump unleashed more threats Sunday toward Iran if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened in the coming days.

In an expletive-filled early morningposton his Truth Social platform, the president said, "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all wrapped up into one, in Iran," unless the strait is reopened. President Trump also said in a phone call withFox Newsthat he is "considering blowing everything up and taking over the oil" if peace negotiations fail.

The renewed threats come as the war, now in its sixth week, has claimed the lives of thousands — including at least 13 Americans — and rocked global markets, with key shipping routes remaining cut off. The Strait of Hormuz typically sees about one-fifth of the world's oil supply pass through it and has effectively been shut down by Iran since the war broke out.

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Last week, foreign ministers and officials from more than 40 countries met in search of a peaceful resolution to Iran's ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The countries placed blame squarely on Iran for keeping the strait closed, allowing only a trickle of ships friendly to Iran through.

RELATED STORY |Dozens of nations are searching for a diplomatic solution to the Hormuz blockade

None of the participating countries are seeking direct confrontation with Iran, but they are considering how their militaries might facilitate the reopening of the strait once the conflict concludes — for example, by helping to demine the waterway. In the meantime, President Trump has said countries affected by the loss of oil would need to retrieve it themselves and has called for broader involvement in the war from U.S. allies.

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

Trump threatens to strike Iran's infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz isn't reopened

U.S. President Donald Trump unleashed more threats Sunday toward Iran if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened in the comi...

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Secret Service investigates reports of gunfire near Lafayette Park across from the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Secret Service said Sunday it was investigating reports of overnight gunfire near Lafayette Park, which is across the street from the White House.

No injuries were reported and no suspect was found after a search of the park and the surrounding area after midnight, the agency said in an online post.

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President Donald Trump was spending the weekend at the White House, which had no immediate comment on the incident. White House operations remained as normal but security in the area was increased, according to the Secret Service.

The park has been fenced off for weeks of renovations.

The Secret Service said it was working with District of Columbia police and U.S. Park Police.

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

Secret Service investigates reports of gunfire near Lafayette Park across from the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Secret Service said Sunday it was investigating reports of overnight gunfire near Lafayette Pa...

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Bosnia keeper Nikola Vasilj's saves help St. Pauli hold on for a point against Union Berlin

BERLIN (AP) — More goalkeeping heroics from Bosnia-Herzegovina's World Cup qualification star Nikola Vasilj meant St. Pauli held on for a 1-1 draw with Union Berlin on Sunday as it struggles to avoid relegation from the Bundesliga.

Germany Bundesliga Soccer

In his first game since his saves helpedsee the Bosnian team past Italyin the World Cup qualifying playoffs, Vasilj faced eight shots on target and stood out with a double save, though it came after he'd given the ball away. The only one that went in was a towering header from Union striker Andrej Ilic at a corner.

St. Pauli had earlier taken the lead when Mathias Pereira Lage delivered a fierce long-distance volley to open the scoring, and created little after that.

St. Pauli held on for the final three minutes with 10 men after its Australian captain Jackson Irvine was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of eight minutes, both for late tackles.

Even a point for St. Pauli was bad news for Wolfsburg, which is on course for an historic first relegation from the Bundesliga afterlosing 6-3 to Bayer Leverkusenon Saturday. A fixture in the Bundesliga since 1997, Wolfsburg is now four points adrift of any chance of safety.

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The bottom two teams, Wolfsburg and Heidenheim, are relegated directly to the second division. The team in 16th, currently St. Pauli, goes into a two-leg playoff against the third-place team from the second tier.

Union stays 10th.

Cologne is 15th and faces Eintracht Frankfurt later Sunday.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byCosmopolite

in

April 05, 2026

Bosnia keeper Nikola Vasilj's saves help St. Pauli hold on for a point against Union Berlin

BERLIN (AP) — More goalkeeping heroics from Bosnia-Herzegovina's World Cup qualification star Nikola Vasilj meant St....

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Final Four: Yaxel Lendeborg vows to play vs. UConn after finishing win over Arizona with MCL, ankle injuries — 'I'm gonna play unless I can't walk'

Michigan All-American Yaxel Lendeborg returned toSaturday's Final Four win over Arizonaafter suffering knee and ankle injuries and vowed after the game to play in Monday's NCAA title game against UConn.

Lendeborg confirmed postgame that he sprained his left MCL and injured his ankle on a fall in the first half. He missed most of the first half, but returned to play briefly in the second half of Michigan's runaway win.

He hit two 3s in the opening minutes of the second half to help Michigan extend its lead as theWolverines cruised to a 91-73 victory.

Lendeborg left the court with 13:32 remaining and Michigan holding a 66-45 lead. He briefly returned later in the half, but finished the game on the bench with a wrap around his knee as Michigan was comfortably in control.

Lendeborg finished with 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 14 minutes while shooting 3 of 4 from the floor. The attention now turns to his health and availability for Monday's championship game against UConn,which beat Illinois in Saturday's first Final Four game.

Lendeborg: 'I'm gonna play unless I can't walk'

Lendeborg told TNT after the game that he's confident he'll play Monday night.

"Coach said at worst, like MCL sprain," Lendeborg said. " And obviously, I rolled my ankle. I'm gonna push through. There's no way I'm missing the game on Monday night, no matter what goes on.

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"I'm gonna play unless I can't walk at all."

Lendeborg maintained a noticeable limp as he walked of the court following Michigan's win.

Lendeborg in pain after scary fall

Lendeborg left the game with his injuries as Michigan held a 28-14 lead with 8:41 remaining in the first half. He rolled his left ankle after stepping on the foot of Arizona's Motiejus Krivas on a drive to the basket.

He was in obvious pain as he stood up from his fall. He was fouled on the play and was able to shoot free throws before limping off the court to the Michigan locker room.

Lendeborg was able to briefly return to the Michigan bench before the end of the half, but again limped off the court before halftime. He didn't return until the second half.

Arizona reeled off seven straight points after he left the game to cut Michigan's lead to 28-21. But Michigan withstood the run and went into halftime with a 48-32 lead. The Wolverines dominated the second half despite the limitations of their best player.

Lendeborg is critical to Michigan's hopes of beating UConn in Monday's title game. A senior forward, Lendeborg has averaged 15.2 points, 7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals this season while shooting 52% from the field and 37.2% from 3.

He's a consensus first-team All-American and was named Big Ten Player of the Year while leading Michigan to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. He's been Michigan's most valuable player while leading the Wolverines in a dominant NCAA tournament run to the Final Four and, now, to the title game.

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

Final Four: Yaxel Lendeborg vows to play vs. UConn after finishing win over Arizona with MCL, ankle injuries — 'I'm gonna play unless I can't walk'

Michigan All-American Yaxel Lendeborg returned toSaturday's Final Four win over Arizonaafter suffering knee and ankle...

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