{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://stutzman.house.gov/media/press-releases/enes-kanter-freedom-nancy-hogshead-applaud-rep-stutzmans-letter-demanding", "ENES KANTER FREEDOM, NANCY HOGSHEAD APPLAUD REP. STUTZMAN\u2019S LETTER DEMANDING ANSWERS FROM THE WNBA", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "IN", "Marlin A. Stutzman", "S001188", "stutzman.house.gov", "stutzman", "https://stutzman.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Marlin Stutzman (IN-03) sent a letter to Women\u2019s National Basketball Association (WNBA) commissioner Cathy Engelbert asking her to address the league\u2019s failure to define what a \u201cwoman\u201d is according to its collective bargaining agreement, the lack of a uniform policy for addressing players and coaches who instigate verbal confrontations with fans, and the WNBA\u2019s repeated lack of consequences for intentional, dangerous physical contact on the court.\n\nFormer National Basketball Association player and WNBA prospect Enes Kanter Freedom said of the letter, \u201cIt\u2019s time for the WNBA to explain themselves, and it\u2019s time for the WNBA to ensure safety and fairness for all players and fans.\u201d Three-time Olympic champion Nancy Hogshead, J.D., OLY said, \u201cIt\u2019s time for the WNBA to protect what generations of women fought to build: the female category.\u201d\n\nFox News OutKick first covered the letter in an exclusive article by Amber Harding.\n\nImage\n\nCongressman Stutzman is joined by Congresswoman Sheri Biggs (SC-03), Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09), Congressman John W. Rose (TN-06), and Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-03) on the letter.\n\n\"The WNBA needs to stop denying common sense and admit that biological males have no place in their league,\u201d said Rep. Stutzman. \u201cTheir delay in addressing this crucial matter has already caused disruptions to games and created a mockery of the organization whose eligibility standards should be defined by looking no further than the league name. Secondly, the WNBA must answer for its failure to administer just consequences for players' continued intentional, dangerous physical contact on the court.\u201d\n\n\u201cEver since I declared for the WNBA draft, the league has been completely silent and unable to explain their own rules,\" said Enes Kanter Freedom. \"The reason why the league has been silent is simple: the WNBA cannot define a woman and their current rules do not prevent me from playing in the league. It\u2019s time for the WNBA to explain themselves, and it\u2019s time for the WNBA to ensure safety and fairness for all players and fans. Thank you Congressman Stutzman and your colleagues for demanding answers to these critical questions.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve spent decades fighting for safe and equal opportunities for women in sports, both as an athlete and as a civil rights attorney,\" said Nancy Hogshead, J.D., OLY. \"As a three-time Olympic gold medalist, I underwent sex verification myself\u2014it was a simple cheek swab\u2014and I know firsthand why clear eligibility standards matter. I only wish we\u2019d had similarly effective safeguards to catch the systematic doping of East German women swimmers in my era. That\u2019s why I support Rep. Stutzman\u2019s letter and launched my Change.org petition calling on the WNBA to define \u201cwoman\u201d as female. Without clear standards, male intrusion is inevitable\u2014males have competed in every level of female sport, from elite international competitions, to schools, professional leagues, and masters leagues. It\u2019s time for the WNBA to protect what generations of women fought to build: the female category.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe WNBA must answer for its failure to keep players safe,\u201d said Rep. Houchin (IN-09). \u201cProfessional sports organizations have a responsibility to provide athletes with a safe and professional environment where they can perform at the highest level.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://stutzman.house.gov/media/press-releases/enes-kanter-freedom-nancy-hogshead-applaud-rep-stutzmans-letter-demanding"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.260398119688034, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}