04/01/2026
A new IOC ruling means to exclude trans women from participating in Olympic competition and would make participants in the women’s divisions undergo invasive gender testing. Read WMRDs statement on this and roller derby inclusion below
“Western Massachusetts Roller Derby stands in solidarity with trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming athletes across the world. We unequivocally believe that trans athletes belong in all sports, and that our community could never exist without its trans members.
Like many others, we feel that flat track roller derby deserves to be recognized on the world stage. But we do not believe that the Olympics deserves our presence. The International Olympic Committee, which just banned trans women from participation, is the same organization that expelled sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos from the Games for simply giving the Black Power salute on the podium in 1968. The International Olympic Committee will readily allow athletes from the United States and Israel to represent their countries as their governments actively commit genocide. But we suspect that the IOC would not ever even consider admitting Team Indigenous Rising, Black Diaspora Roller Derby, or any of the other revolutionary borderless teams in our sport.
As we resist fascism at home and fight for oppressed people around the world, we have the power to reimagine what athletics should look like. Sports are – and have always been – deeply political. We have the utmost respect for Olympic athletes, but we want no part of the institution.“
