A group of prominent U.S. women’s competitive fencers has launched a class-action lawsuit against USA Fencing, the sport’s national governing body, accusing it of violating fairness and federal law by allowing biological males to compete in women’s fencing divisions. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, centers on an incident at the 2025 North American Cup (NAC) held in Kansas City, Missouri, where transgender women were allegedly permitted to compete in female-only events, including competitions for athletes under the age of 18.
The plaintiffs named in the suit are Margherita Guzzi Vincenti, an Olympian who represented Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, alongside fellow competitive women’s fencers Emma Griffin and Patricia Hughes. Their complaint asserts that USA Fencing knowingly allowed biological males to register and compete in women’s divisions despite advertising these events as exclusive to female athletes. Significantly, the lawsuit highlights that the organization’s youth and cadet policies authorized self-identification “without restriction” and lacked any meaningful verification mechanisms, effectively enabling biological males under the age of 16 to enter girls’ competitions.
The lawsuit further alleges that USA Fencing failed to inform its members or participants whether transgender or non-binary athletes were competing in a given event, leaving female athletes and their families unable to make informed decisions about participation. This lack of transparency, the plaintiffs argue, undermines fairness and the integrity of women’s fencing.
A critical point of contention in the lawsuit is that USA Fencing did not enforce its own prior policy requiring transgender women to complete at least one year of testosterone-suppression treatment before competing in the women’s category. According to the suit, USA Fencing never implemented a system to verify or monitor adherence to this rule, effectively allowing biological males to compete without meeting hormone treatment requirements. The plaintiffs contend this disregard for established policies compromised the level playing field that women’s sports are meant to preserve.
In response to the lawsuit, USA Fencing issued a statement to Fox News Digital, acknowledging awareness of the class-action complaint filed on October 29 but strongly disputing its allegations. The organization stated it would address the matter through the legal process and declined further comment at this time.
For the fencers involved, the issue goes beyond competition — it is about safeguarding the integrity and fairness of their sport. Margherita Guzzi Vincenti emphasized that fencing has been central to her life since childhood and that she has always competed with the understanding that women’s competitions are reserved for women. “It is about fairness and preserving opportunities for girls and women who dedicate their lives to competing on equal terms,” she said.
Patricia Hughes, who brings two decades of experience to the sport, echoed these sentiments. She noted the growth of women’s fencing from a niche activity to a competitive arena where female athletes can thrive internationally. Hughes stressed that continued progress depends on enforcing fairness, and that future generations of female fencers deserve the same equitable opportunities that inspired current athletes.
Emma Griffin, a standout NCAA competitor, underscored the need for honesty and transparency from governing bodies. She pointed out the significant investments made by athletes in terms of entry fees, travel, and years of training, emphasizing that women deserve to trust that competitions labeled as women’s events truly exclude biological males. “It is about respect for athletes and transparency from the organizations that govern our sport,” Griffin said.
The lawsuit also advances a legal argument that USA Fencing qualifies as an educational institution subject to Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding. The plaintiffs allege that by permitting biological males to compete in female categories, USA Fencing violated Title IX’s mandates for equal athletic opportunity for women.
Supporting this argument, the suit notes that USA Fencing identified itself as an educational service organization in its Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, because the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which oversees USA Fencing, receives direct federal funding—including appropriations, forgivable PPP loans, and funds from the Department of Veterans Affairs—the organization is subject to Title IX compliance.
The fencers are represented by attorneys from Mahdavi, Bacon, Halfhill & Young PLLC and The Dhillon Law Group. Karin Sweigart of The Dhillon Law Group highlighted that their clients are not seeking special privileges but simply the fairness