I’ve been waiting to see in America when some scrub NBA player just can’t cut it anymore, then decides to transition so he can play in the WNBA. That moment is coming here eventually. In Australia we already have scrub male players trying to play in the female leagues. Lexi Rodgers, a transgender individual who applied to play women’s basketball in Australia, has been deemed ineligible.
A transgender athlete's bid to join an Australian women's elite-level basketball league has been rejected by the sport's governing body.
An expert panel convened by @BasketballAus determined that Lexi Rodgers will ineligible to play for the @KilsythCobras in the Women's NBL1… pic.twitter.com/WNZntJ4DMK
— 10 News First Melbourne (@10NewsFirstMelb) April 18, 2023
“An expert panel convened by Basketball Australia (BA) has determined transgender athlete Lexi Rodgers is ineligible to play elite level basketball, including for the Kilsyth Cobras in the NBL1 South competition this season,” Basketball Australia noted in a statement. “BA assesses eligibility of prospective elite level transgender athletes on a ‘case-by-case’ basis, accounting for and balancing a range of factors, and has implemented this process on behalf of Basketball Victoria in this matter.”
Rodgers is hoping to compete in “elite women’s basketball” at some point going forward.
“I sought a different outcome from Basketball Australia. I participated fully and in good faith with the process and eligibility criteria. Consistent with the views expressed by so many, I firmly believe I have a place as an athlete in women’s basketball,” Rodgers wrote in an Instagram post. “I hope to one day be playing elite women’s basketball in the future and will continue to work on making the sport I love a place for all.”