Trans runner sues Princeton after being barred from women’s race under New Jersey anti-discrimination law
A male athlete sued Princeton University, claiming discrimination after being barred from a women’s race.
The lawsuit highlights Princeton officials’ actions and criticizes NCAA rules that now ban biological males from women’s sports following policy updates.
A male track athlete who competed as a female has sued Princeton University for allegedly removing the athlete from a race.
Sadie Schreiner filed the complaint in New Jersey Superior Court on July 15. Princeton University, its athletic director, and the school’s track director are listed as the defendants.
The lawsuit alleges that Princeton violated New Jersey law by discriminating against a transgender person.
“We stand by the allegations in the pleading,” Schreiner attorney Susie Cirilli told The Associated Press. “As stated in the complaint, the defendants’ individual actions were intolerable in a civilized community and go beyond the possible bounds of decency.”
Schreiner, who is 21 years old, was an NCAA Division-III runner at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Schreiner intended to run a 200-meter women’s race in May, but was not given a spot in the race due to his sex, the lawsuit asserts.
Per the lawsuit, at the starting line of the race, a Princeton official told Schreiner, “I do not want to assume, but you are transgender.”
The lawsuit states that Schriner still wanted to participate, and “pleaded” with Princeton officials “offering to take any physical tests that would further demonstrate her gender and agreeing to allow them to inspect the official papers (birth certificate and driver’s license) that reflected that Sadie was formally recognized as a woman by those agencies.”
Schreiner was barred from competing at Princeton in 2025 due to updated NCAA guidelines, which prohibited males from competing on women’s sports teams, according to the Princeton Alumni Weekly.
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Campus Reform reported in February that the NCAA updated its transgender participation policies following President Trump’s executive order on “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports.”
The new NCAA Participation Policy for Transgender Student-Athletes allows students “assigned male at birth” to “practice on the team consistent with their gender identity.” However, the rule unequivocally states that “A student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete on a women’s team.”
Campus Reform has contacted Princeton University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
