Female athletes target Nike for reportedly sponsoring transgender study

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Several female athletes on Wednesday targeted Nike in a fiery advertisement for XX-XY Athletics over reports it was responsible for funding a study on transgender athletes.

The New York Times published a story in April on Jose State University volleyball player Blaire Fleming who sparked controversy after speculation surfaced that she was not born as a woman. Several volleyball teams scheduled to face San Jose State forfeited their matches following these allegations.

Fleming confirmed to the outlet in the piece she is transgender.

That report also included a line from Joanna Harper who studies transgender athletes at Oregon Health & Science University. Harper told the publication her work receives funding from Nike.

“And so the question isn’t, do men outperform women?” Harper is quoted in the article. “The question is, as a population group, do trans women outperform cis women, and if so, by how much?”

“Harper is currently helping to lead an ambitious study of trans adolescents that measures their results on a 10-step fitness test before they start hormone therapy and then, after they have begun to medically transition, every six months for five years,” the piece continues. “The study is being funded by Nike.”

Several female athletes, including former San Jose State associate coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, demanded Nike respond to the reporting in an ad for XX-XY.

“Over 1900 females have been displaced by males in women’s sports,” the brand wrote via X. “Yet Nike remains silent. So, we asked female athletes if they could say one thing to @Nike, what would it be?”

“Nike is ignoring the real issue,” Batie-Smoose said in the clip.

“You are using us when it’s convenient for you, but in private you’re not doing anything about it,” volleyball player Payton McNabb said.

Nike did not respond to a request for comment from The National News Desk about the ad.

Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to jacwalker@sbgtv.com.