A recent controversy in California high school girls’ cross-country has reignited debates over the participation of transgender athletes in female sports competitions. The dispute centers around a junior varsity (JV) cross-country league final involving Ayala High School and Claremont High School, where a transgender athlete’s placement displaced a biological female runner from the top 10 finishers, sparking a wider discussion about recognition, fairness, and existing sports regulations.
At the heart of the incident was a Claremont High School athlete identified as transgender who finished fourth in the JV girls’ race during the league final last week. This placement pushed an Ayala High School female runner into 11th place, just missing out on a coveted top-10 finish and the associated recognition. Caroline Cobo, Ayala’s girls’ cross-country coach, took issue with the fact that her athlete was not acknowledged among the top finishers despite effectively being the 10th biological female to cross the finish line.
During the awards ceremony, Cobo requested that the league organizers recognize the top 11 finishers instead of just the top 10, to accommodate the displaced athlete. However, the request was denied, with officials adhering strictly to league rules that only allow recognition of the top 10 finishers. Undeterred, Cobo and her team took a stand during the ceremony by publicly acknowledging their athlete as the 10th biological female finisher, allowing her to receive the recognition they felt was rightfully hers.
Matthew Ullman, Ayala’s assistant girls’ cross-country coach, described the tense aftermath of the incident. While some parents and athletes from Ayala’s team expressed their gratitude for standing up for their teammate, Ullman reported confrontational exchanges with several athletes from Claremont High School. According to Ullman, these athletes challenged the use of the term “biological female,” reflecting an internal divide within the Claremont team on the issue of transgender participation in girls’ sports.
In response to the situation, Claremont High School issued a statement emphasizing their compliance with the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and Palomares League rules, which officially recognize only the top 10 finishers in competitions. They reiterated their commitment to treating all student-athletes respectfully and following established procedures. This stance underscores the complex balancing act schools and leagues face in navigating inclusivity while maintaining competitive fairness.
Conversely, Ayala High School pushed back against the strict top-10 recognition limit. The school cited a recent amendment by the CIF Southern Section (CIFSS) implemented during the spring 2025 girls’ track and field season, which allows for an additional athlete to be recognized if displaced by a transgender competitor. Specifically, this rule permits awarding a duplicate medal to the next closest female athlete when a transgender participant’s performance affects the standings, effectively bumping displaced athletes up one spot on the podium.
Ayala’s Assistant Principal of Athletics and Facilities, John Kunishima, formally petitioned the Palomares League to extend this recognition to include their athlete who finished 11th but was the 10th biological female. The school’s statement emphasized its commitment to fairness and honoring the dedication of all its athletes. The Palomares League Athletic Directors are scheduled to meet on November 18 to consider this petition, with hopes of reaching an equitable resolution that acknowledges the efforts of all top-performing athletes.
This incident is part of a broader, ongoing national conversation about transgender athletes in sports, especially in female divisions. The CIF’s 2025 amendment followed a high-profile controversy involving Jurupa Valley High School’s transgender athlete AB Hernandez, whose participation in the girls’ state track and field finals sparked widespread attention and debate. Hernandez’s success in winning multiple events led to the CIF adopting the policy allowing displaced female athletes to receive duplicate medals, aiming to balance inclusivity with fairness.
The issue drew political attention as well, with former President Donald Trump publicly criticizing the participation of transgender athletes in girls’ sports and threatening to withhold federal funding from California if such athletes were allowed to compete. California Governor Gavin Newsom responded by supporting the CIF’s policy change, describing it as a “reasonable and respectful” approach to a complex issue that seeks to preserve competitive fairness without excluding transgender students.
Despite these policy efforts, the Ayala-Claremont cross-country incident highlights the challenges and tensions that remain at the local level. Ayala’s efforts to extend similar recognition for a JV cross-country athlete displaced by a transgender competitor have met