# Washington State High School Sports League Shifts Trans Athlete Controversy to State Laws > Washington state's high school sports league says state law blocks changes to transgender athlete participation rules. - Title: Washington State High School Sports League Shifts Trans… - Summary: Washington state's high school sports league says state law blocks changes to transgender athlete participation rules. Washington's high school sports league… - Keywords: wiaa, washington state, trans athlete, initiative 638, camas high school, cross country, gender identity, school sports, washington state legislature, democratic governor, news, politics - Source: OutKick — https://foxnews.com/outkick-sports/washington-state-high-school-sports-league-puts-onus-trans-athlete-controversy-state-laws - Author: Jackson Thompson - Published: 2026-10-15T00:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: wiaa, washington state, trans athlete, initiative 638, camas high school, cross country, gender identity, school sports, washington state legislature, democratic governor, news, politics ## Washington parents protest trans athlete Washington parents watched their daughter join a mass protest of female athletes who walked off a cross country meet. > Washington parents Kevin and Sarah Burns watched their daughter Holly Burns join a mass protest of female athletes who walked off a cross country meet in response to a male competitor ## Male runner switches teams midseason A male cross-country runner switched from boys team to girls team midseason. > Washington state has been rocked in recent weeks by a controversy involving a male cross-country runner who switched from a boys’ team to a girls’ team mid-season ## WIAA cannot change policies without state law The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association says state law prevents it from implementing new transgender athlete policies. > The association governing Washington school sports says state law prevents it from implementing the proposed changes to its participation policy ## WIAA statement on policy changes WIAA cannot adopt a policy to keep males out of girls' sports without violating Washington state law. > In a statement to OutKick, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) said it cannot adopt a new policy to keep males out of girls’ sports, even if its members vote for a policy change, as it would be "in violation of Washington state law" ## Initiative 638 on state ballot Washington voters will decide on Initiative 638 to prohibit biological male students from competing in female-only sports. > Initiative 638, which would prohibit biological male students from competing in certain female-only school sports and require a healthcare provider's verification of biological sex, will be on the state ballot on Nov. 3 ## Democratic governor opposes initiative Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson has expressed opposition to Initiative 638. > Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson has expressed opposition to Initiative 638 ## WIAA policy has been in place since 2007 WIAA gender-identity participation policy has been in place for 20 years since 2007-08 school year. > The WIAA is a membership-driven association. The membership creates the rules found in the WIAA Handbook. The gender-identity participation policies found in the WIAA Handbook at Rule 18.16.0 have been in place for 20 years, since the 2007-08 school year ## WIAA follows state law on transgender athletes WIAA says state law permits student-athletes to compete consistent with gender they identify. > The WIAA remains committed to following Washington state law … which permits student-athletes to participate in sports consistent with the gender with which they identify ## State law unchanged after Supreme Court ruling Washington state law remains unchanged after U.S. Supreme Court upheld other states’ laws restricting transgender athletes. > After the U.S. Supreme Court upheld other states’ laws restricting transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ and women’s sports in landmark rulings in June, Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) said the decisions did not change Washington law ## Key takeaway Washington's high school sports league cannot implement new transgender athlete policies without changing state law.