The University of Nevada has agreed to forfeit the school’s women’s volleyball game against San Jose State – and transgender player Blaire Fleming.
The move comes after Nevada players found themselves at odds with their school over the previously-scheduled game, as they released a statement saying they would not compete against San Jose State and Fleming on October 26.
‘We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,’ the players said in a statement sent to OutKick.
However, the University of Nevada initially refused to acknowledge the players’ decision and hit back in a statement of their own, saying the volleyball team’s decision ‘does not represent’ the views of the school.
On Friday, however, Nevada finally agreed to forfeit, announcing that they would not have enough players to compete.
San Jose State has been fielding a transgender player in Blaire Fleming (pictured)
But Nevada has now become the fifth school to forfeit a matchup against the school
This is the fifth time that a scheduled opponent of San Jose State has refused to suit up against them this season, as Boise State, Wyoming and Utah State and Southern Utah University have all made the same decision.
The decision from Nevada officials came after the school – in conjunction with San Jose State – agreed for the game to be moved to the latter’s campus.
Nevada faced Fresno State on Thursday and afterwards, the former school provided two buses for its players, with one reportedly destined for campus and the other San Jose State.
The players then decided to go home back to Reno.
Following Nevada’s initial statement, in which the school said that the game against San Jose State would go ahead, Nevada team captain Sia Liilii revealed that her squad had been completely blindsided.
Fleming, who stands at 6-foot-1, is currently among the leaders in her conference in points
Five teams have forfeited games against SJSU over safety concerns because of Fleming
‘The school released that statement without consulting our team at all. We were pretty upset that we were not made aware that a statement was going to come out,’ Liilii,’ she told OutKick.
More than a dozen female athletes, including one of Fleming’s teammates, are accusing the NCAA of knowingly violating a law that prohibits sex-based discrimination by allowing a transgender player to compete in women’s sports.
Fleming, who plays as an outside and right-side hitter, has enjoyed two seasons with San Jose State after previously playing at Coastal Carolina.
The player, who stands 6-foot-1, currently ranks fourth in the Mountain West in kills and overall points.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .