{"id":20321,"date":"2026-08-09T00:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T00:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wnba-commissioner-says-league-will-continue-talks-on-transgender-athletes\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T00:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T00:00:02","slug":"wnba-commissioner-says-league-will-continue-talks-on-transgender-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wnba-commissioner-says-league-will-continue-talks-on-transgender-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"WNBA Commissioner Says League Will Continue Talks on Transgender Athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<section id=\"cb-531c1ae57aac47c465422cfeaab63fe5\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  canvas-block-is-first \">\n<div class=\"image-block\">\n                  <a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260808_eab2275753d9462cac02ea48fc5e9a5c\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:17d25317-ce53-42a6-8118-0797a2c9a36d\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\">\n<p>                          <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"WNBA Commissioner Says League Will Continue Talks on Transgender Athletes\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/ea\/4by3\/2026\/08\/08\/eab2275753d9462cac02ea48fc5e9a5c_md.jpg\" alt=\"main-Cathy-Engelbert-getty-1\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"\/>\n                <\/div>\n<p>                  <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-531c1ae57aac47c465422cfeaab63fe5--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-af81fc32c36776098d19c452ecf9aa65\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>WNBA commissioner <strong>Cathy Engelbert <\/strong>is finally weighing in on the league&#8217;s raging transgender athlete debate &#8230; acknowledging the issue isn&#8217;t going away &#8212; and neither are the conversations about it.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-af81fc32c36776098d19c452ecf9aa65--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-ac47ee3cce121fcf0dc0df5b52b0bbcf\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Engelbert addressed the controversy in a memo sent to teams Friday and obtained by the <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/wnba-commissioner-transgender-women-sophie-cunningham-403aab1e2cf6eda967383cb2c4ab0c39\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>AP<\/strong><\/a> &#8230; saying she expects transgender participation in women&#8217;s basketball to continue getting &#8220;significant attention.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-ac47ee3cce121fcf0dc0df5b52b0bbcf--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-10736da53d0459e2002641b837df3528\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\">\n                  <a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260808_0d52ef62fdcc42ef9a17bcb9418fc54d\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:17d25317-ce53-42a6-8118-0797a2c9a36d\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\">\n<p>                          <img decoding=\"async\" title=\"WNBA Commissioner Says League Will Continue Talks on Transgender Athletes\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/0d\/4by3\/2026\/08\/08\/0d52ef62fdcc42ef9a17bcb9418fc54d_md.jpg\" alt=\"sub-Cathy-Engelbert-getty-1\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"\/>\n                <\/div>\n<p>                  <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-10736da53d0459e2002641b837df3528--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-f41e001e874da0c0a61449586d4294b9\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The commish stopped short of taking a side &#8230; but said the league will approach the issue thoughtfully and respectfully, while stressing &#8220;preserving the integrity of our game and ensuring fair competition&#8221; remain among its highest priorities.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-f41e001e874da0c0a61449586d4294b9--><br \/>\n<a id=\"continued\" class=\"continued-anchor\"\/><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-5144594045c516fef9d08ff00dabc713\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>A task force of team presidents and GMs will discuss the issue at a previously scheduled meeting next week.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-5144594045c516fef9d08ff00dabc713--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-5433dcddd1c451131dee7c8d4858c485\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\">\n                  <a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260808_22e78d4396ed47f2adfd14c46b308578\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:17d25317-ce53-42a6-8118-0797a2c9a36d\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\">\n<p>                          <img decoding=\"async\" title=\"WNBA Commissioner Says League Will Continue Talks on Transgender Athletes\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/22\/4by3\/2026\/08\/08\/22e78d4396ed47f2adfd14c46b308578_md.jpg\" alt=\"sub-sophie-cunningham-getty-1\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"\/>\n                <\/div>\n<p>                  <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-5433dcddd1c451131dee7c8d4858c485--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-96c42f011c4066557a5e24d5cb548249\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>As we&#8217;ve reported, the debate exploded after Indiana Fever guard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/sophie-cunningham\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Sophie Cunningham<\/strong><\/a> said she wanted to protect young girls who &#8220;shouldn&#8217;t have to go against biological men&#8221; in sports &#8230; later doubling down and calling her position &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/07\/23\/sophie-cunningham-addresses-trans-athlete-stance\/\"><strong>common sense<\/strong><\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-96c42f011c4066557a5e24d5cb548249--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-ee79897cc828a80897465386b3c3076b\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-video-block canvas-video-block-permalink canvas-video-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"video-block\">\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\">\n<div id=\"video-player-05da8c3d-9b29-42de-9e5e-73ec82507a83-351940406-image-holder\" class=\"ratio ratio-item video-block__image-holder\">\n          <button class=\"ratio-item icon-video--shadow video-block__icon\" id=\"video-player-05da8c3d-9b29-42de-9e5e-73ec82507a83-351940406-play-btn\"><br \/>\n            <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Play video content<\/span><br \/>\n          <\/button><br \/>\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" title=\"WNBA Commissioner Says League Will Continue Talks on Transgender Athletes\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/58\/16by9\/2026\/08\/03\/587a900e0f5b4971b100f6b844212b34_md.png\" alt=\"080326 cc kal\" width=\"728\" height=\"410\" class=\"img-fluid\"\/>\n                  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-ee79897cc828a80897465386b3c3076b--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-3256a5c34a77aeacc09124d652515c67\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The controversy quickly engulfed teammate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/caitlin-clark\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Caitlin Clark<\/strong><\/a>, too &#8230; who declined to pick a side when asked about Sophie&#8217;s comments &#8212; prompting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/megyn-kelly\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Megyn Kelly<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>to call her a &#8220;coward&#8221; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/dave-portnoy\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Dave Portnoy<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>to fire back that Clark doesn&#8217;t owe anyone a political stance.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-3256a5c34a77aeacc09124d652515c67--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-95448ea45ca4259fc0bc4a84fde040e4\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-video-block canvas-video-block-permalink canvas-video-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"video-block\">\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\">\n<div id=\"video-player-b17c103f-9fc0-4029-95ba-2ab76d2e6a0e-157296712-image-holder\" class=\"ratio ratio-item video-block__image-holder\">\n          <button class=\"ratio-item icon-video--shadow video-block__icon\" id=\"video-player-b17c103f-9fc0-4029-95ba-2ab76d2e6a0e-157296712-play-btn\"><br \/>\n            <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Play video content<\/span><br \/>\n          <\/button><br \/>\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" title=\"WNBA Commissioner Says League Will Continue Talks on Transgender Athletes\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/68\/16by9\/2026\/08\/04\/68e2eceee7fd4bb3a7fa3ad0ff84c218_md.png\" alt=\"080426 cruz kal\" width=\"728\" height=\"410\" class=\"img-fluid\"\/>\n                  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-95448ea45ca4259fc0bc4a84fde040e4--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-945f9a78b74f2fb28b75aade18aee531\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p><strong>TMZ DC<\/strong> later pressed Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/ted-cruz\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Ted Cruz<\/strong><\/a> on the issue &#8230; with the Texas Republican asking whether it would be fair for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/lebron-james\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>LeBron James<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>to play in the WNBA.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-945f9a78b74f2fb28b75aade18aee531--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-ad887889faf049308e56b16a04d13e5b\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-video-block canvas-video-block-permalink canvas-video-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"video-block\">\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\">\n<div id=\"video-player-8a4c9b73-f3d4-4007-94fb-a9db554ee175-1044623629-image-holder\" class=\"ratio ratio-item video-block__image-holder\">\n          <button class=\"ratio-item icon-video--shadow video-block__icon\" id=\"video-player-8a4c9b73-f3d4-4007-94fb-a9db554ee175-1044623629-play-btn\"><br \/>\n            <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Play video content<\/span><br \/>\n          <\/button><br \/>\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" title=\"WNBA Commissioner Says League Will Continue Talks on Transgender Athletes\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/a8\/16by9\/2026\/08\/07\/a81ecbe407954fbcb4c002380ac8b227_md.png\" alt=\"080726 kanter kal\" width=\"728\" height=\"410\" class=\"img-fluid\"\/>\n                  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-ad887889faf049308e56b16a04d13e5b--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-9de971e9caef48f7c692c99a81a7d3db\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>And things only got hotter from there &#8230; former NBA players <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/enes-kanter\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Enes Kanter Freedom<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/royce-white\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Royce White<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/08\/08\/royce-white-wants-to-join-wnba\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>announced<\/strong><\/a> plans to pursue the 2027 WNBA Draft amid the debate, pointing to league language stating only women are eligible to play without further defining the term.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-9de971e9caef48f7c692c99a81a7d3db--><\/p>\n<section id=\"cb-89c97bb2215a020a6e3acaf31ec95de8\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  canvas-block-is-last \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>As for Engelbert &#8230; she says discussions with teams and the players&#8217; association will continue in the weeks and months ahead.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--\/#cb-89c97bb2215a020a6e3acaf31ec95de8--><\/p><\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/08\/08\/wnba-commissioner-cathy-engelbert-transgender-debate\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert is finally weighing in on the league&#8217;s raging transgender athlete debate &#8230; acknowledging the issue isn&#8217;t going away &#8212; and neither are the conversations about it. Engelbert addressed the controversy in a memo sent to teams Friday and obtained by the AP &#8230; saying she expects transgender participation in women&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1767,91,93,89,107,108,90,109,96,106,85,104,1764,689,81,88,103,100,86,101,99,95,84,83,98,112,110,92,111,1765,94,1090,1766,82,102,97,105,87,1763],"class_list":["post-20321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecig-canada-zone","tag-athletes","tag-best-dab-pens","tag-best-dab-rigs","tag-best-dry-herb-vaporizer","tag-best-dry-herb-vaporizers","tag-best-portable-vaporizer","tag-best-vape-pen","tag-best-vape-pen-for-wax","tag-best-vaporizer","tag-best-weed-vaporizer","tag-cbd-vape","tag-cbd-vapor","tag-commissioner","tag-continue","tag-dab-pen","tag-dab-pen-battery","tag-dab-pen-cartridge","tag-dab-pen-weed","tag-dab-rigs","tag-dab-rigs-for-sale","tag-dab-rigs-near-me","tag-disposable-dab-pen","tag-disposable-vapes","tag-dry-herb-vaporizer","tag-dry-herb-vaporizers","tag-ecigarettes","tag-ecigs","tag-electric-dab-rigs","tag-eliquid","tag-league","tag-marijuana-vaporizer","tag-talks","tag-transgender","tag-vape-pen","tag-vaporizer-weed","tag-wax-dab-pen","tag-wax-vape-pen","tag-weed-vape-pen","tag-wnba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20321\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecigcanadazone.com\/restofcanada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}