CLOVIS, Calif. — The California Interscholastic Federation is changing its competition rules for its track and field championships happening in Clovis this weekend – to allow more girls to take part.
The move comes amid controversy over the participation of a trans student-athlete at the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships at Buchanan High School.
In a social media post Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump threatened to pull federal funding in California if the state did not bar trans students from participating in girls sports.
The post referenced AB Hernandez, a trans athlete from the Jurupa Unified School District in the Inland Empire who competes in girls track and field. Hernandez is scheduled to compete in the girls varsity triple jump, high jump and long jump in the state finals this weekend.
She won the Division 3 girls long jump and girls triple jump and placed seventh in the high jump at the Southern Section Division Finals on May 19, according to CIF results.
“THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS,” Trump said.
Following Trump’s focus and funding threats, the CIF said it was extending access for more “biological female” athletes to participate in the championship meet.
Clovis Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pearce echoed Trump’s concerns, saying the CIF policy doesn’t go far enough. She wants the state to ban trans athletes from competing with cisgender girls altogether.
“It’s unfortunate that the CIF, Gov. Newsom and the state legislature haven’t been able to remove this cloud hanging over what is otherwise a fantastic opportunity and weekend for the students, the athletes, the families and the Clovis community,” she told KVPR on Tuesday.
Advocates for trans youth pushed back against Pearce and the president, dismissing their concerns as fear mongering.
“[Trump] is targeting a child to score political points and make himself relevant,” said Jorge Reyes Salinas, a spokesperson for the advocacy group Equality California. “He’s trying to punish the whole entire state as he marginalizes just one student who is participating in this weekend’s sporting event.”
Meanwhile, the CIF invited any biological female student-athlete who was just shy of qualifying for the state meet at their respective finals to participate in the championships.
“The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes,” a statement read.
This controversy is part of a nationwide battle over the rights of transgender youth in which states have limited transgender girls from participating on girls sports teams, barred gender-affirming surgeries for minors and required parents to be notified if a child changes their pronouns at school.
At least 24 states have laws on the books barring transgender women and girls from participating in certain women’s or girls sports competitions. Some of the policies have been blocked in court.
Trump also criticized Maine's Democratic governor after she said the state would take the president to court over his effort to keep trans girls from competing in girls sports.
The CIF didn't specify whether the change to its entry applies to all events or only events where a trans athlete has qualified for the final. The change only applies to this weekend's competition.
The organization didn't immediately answer a question from the Associated Press about how many students it expects will be affected by the change.
Trump’s comments came months after California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on his podcast that transgender girls’ participation in girls sports was “deeply unfair.” Charlie Kirk, the conservative commentator who was a guest on the podcast, specifically referenced Hernandez when asking Newsom about the issue.
Trump said he planned to talk to Newsom about the issue, but the governor’s office did not confirm the call. However, the office did weigh in on the CIF rule change.
“CIF’s proposed pilot is a reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue without compromising competitive fairness — a model worth pursuing,” Newsom's spokesperson Izzy Gardon said. “The Governor is encouraged by this thoughtful approach.”
Parents and conservative advocates opposed to transgender girls competing in girls sports have criticized Hernandez’s participation and heckled the athlete during postseason meets.
“There’s nothing I can do about people’s actions, just focus on my own,” Hernandez told the publication Capital & Main earlier this month. “I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person.”
In an email to the AP, Hernandez’s mother declined to comment on Tuesday's rule change.
The Associated Press’ Sophie Austin contributed reporting.
