USA Hockey recently approved a new Participant Eligibility Policy, which included a ban against transgender athletes from all programs "restricted by sex" in the United States and suspension of their "Transgender Athlete Eligibility Policy."
In November, USA Hockey quietly approved a new Participant Eligibility Policy that included the suspension of the “USA Hockey Transgender Athlete Eligibility Policy" and featured a ban on transgender athletes from many programs.
The move reverses and alters USA Hockey's previous policies set forth in 2019, with new regulations set to come into force at the latter of the conclusion of the USA Hockey national Championships for each age classification, or April 1, 2026.
According to the new Participant Eligibility Policy "The vast majority of USA Hockey’s programs are co-ed and not restricted by sex, and therefore all hockey players are eligible without regard to their sex, gender identity, transgender, non-binary or other status or forms of gender expression."
Immediately following this statement however, a caveat is provided stating that some of the programs under this blanketed "vast majority" do in fact have restrictions in their own internal rules restricting events "to males and females."
The second point in the new Participant Eligibility Policy bans all transgender athletes from participating in USA Hockey sanctioned teams or events for "programs restricted by sex."
"Some hockey programs are restricted by sex, including Girls’ hockey programs that are restricted to female athletes in the age classifications 19 and under and below, high school programs that are restricted to either male or female players, and adult hockey teams, leagues or events that are restricted to male or female players," the policy reads.
"In all programs where participation is restricted by sex, athletes are only permitted to participate in such programs based on their sex assigned at birth, except that a female (as assigned at birth) may not play in programs restricted to females if they have undergone any male hormone therapy."
The stipulation forcing USA Hockey sanctioned teams, events, and organizations in this category to utilize sex "assigned at birth" is a ban against all transgender athletes.
The ban on transgender athletes extends to USA Hockey's national team programs for all IIHF, IOC, and World Para Ice Hockey events.
The ban has reached many in the hockey community as well as watchdogs following the removal of protections for the LGBTQ+ community in the United States. As former PWHL player Madison Packer stated in a video she posted to social media, the ban is another move to erase transgender people.
“USA Hockey recently updated their trans policy to eliminate the word trans, which is probably another attempt to erase yet another part of the trans community,” Packer said.
Locker room and anti-doping requirements were also included in USA Hockey's Participant Eligibility Policy.
The change comes at a time when some experts are warning that the United States appears to be entering the early stages of genocide against transgender Americans. Similarly, organizations such as Amnesty International have remained vocal about the attacks on trans people in the United States.
The Hockey News reached out USA Hockey for clarification on the rule changes compared to past regulations. A response had yet to be received at the time of publication.