USAH – Transgender Athlete Eligibility Policy Update

USA Hockey has recently updated formal Participant Eligibility Policy on transgendered athletes in the sport, suspending their Transgender Athlete Eligibility Policy.

According to USAH, “The vast majority of USA Hockey’s programs are co-ed and not restricted by sex, and therefore all hockey players are eligible without regard to their sex, gender identity, transgender, non-binary or other status or forms of gender expression”. While true, this recent USAH policy update has been met with some resistance, including former PWHL player Madison Packer who stated on social media “USA Hockey recently updated their trans policy to eliminate the word trans, which is probably another attempt to erase yet another part of the trans community”.

USAH is clear in their policy, stating “In all programs where participation is restricted by sex, athletes are only permitted to participate in such programs based on their sex assigned at birth, except that a female (as assigned at birth) may not play in programs restricted to females if they have undergone any male hormone therapy” and will include USA Hockey’s national team programs for all IIHF, IOC, and World Para Ice Hockey events.

The new policy amends USA Hockey’s previous 2019 policy, with new regulations set to begin for each age classification April 1, 2026, or after USA Hockey national Championships.

This update comes around the same timeframe that the US House of Representatives voted 218-206 on HR28, to ban male trans athletes from womens sport, across the country, with only 2 of 208 (less than 1%) Democrat votes supporting the ban versus 100% Republican support on the Bill (Review data by GovTrack.us).

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