NAIA all but bans transgender athletes from women’s sports

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced a policy Monday that all but bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports at its 241 mostly small colleges across the country.

The NAIA Council of Presidents approved the policy in a 20-0 vote at its annual convention. The NAIA oversees some 83,000 athletes competing in more than 25 sports.

According to the transgender participation policy, which goes into effect in August, all athletes may participate in NAIA-sponsored male sports but only athletes whose biological sex assigned at birth is female and have not begun hormone therapy will be allowed to participate in women’s sports.

A student who has begun hormone therapy may participate in activities such as workouts, practices and team activities, but not in intercollegiate competition.

NAIA programs in competitive cheer and competitive dance are open to all students. The NAIA policy notes every other sport “includes some combination of strength, speed and stamina, providing competitive advantages for male student-athletes.”

Djokovic passes Federer as oldest No. 1

LONDON » Novak Djokovic has surpassed another tennis record once held by Roger Federer, becoming the oldest man to be ranked No. 1 in the ATP Tour rankings.

Djokovic is 36 — he turns 37 next month — and is now older than Federer was on his last day atop the rankings in June 2018. Monday gives Djokovic 420 total weeks at that spot, extending another mark Federer (who was there for 310 weeks) had at one time before Djokovic broke it.

Djokovic’s 24 Grand Slam singles titles also are the most by a man in tennis history and the most by anyone in the Open era, which began in 1968. Federer broke Pete Sampras’ men’s record of 14 major championships and retired with 20, before Rafael Nadal (now with 22) and Djokovic overtook him.

Djokovic has held onto No. 1 since returning most recently last September after winning the U.S. Open.

Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner remained at No. 2, followed by Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev.

Everton docked two more points by EPL

Everton was docked two more points for its latest breach of the English Premier League financial rules, plunging the team back toward the relegation zone with seven games left.

Everton had already received a six-point deduction — reduced from 10 following an appeal — for the club overspending in a three-year spell up to the end of the 2021-22 season.

This latest punishment, handed out by an independent commission, came after Everton was found to have spent too much in the three seasons up to 2022-23.