
Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday. The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law. The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school. Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth. “Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who is resigning in January, said the new gender policy "is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach." By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA. The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition. The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports. United States Golf Association CEO Mike Whan said the new policy will prevent anyone from having "a competitive advantage based on their gender." “It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line. “We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.” The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part. “Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.” The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours. Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels. The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
UNIUYO admission portal: All about the admission requirements and fees for 2024/2025The suspect in the high-profile killing of a health insurance CEO that has gripped the United States graduated from an Ivy League university, reportedly hails from a wealthy family, and wrote social media posts brimming with cerebral musings. Luigi Mangione, 26, was thrust into the spotlight Monday after police revealed he is their person of interest in the brutal murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a father of two, last week in broad daylight in Manhattan in a case that laid bare deep frustration and anger with America's privatized medical system. News of his capture in Pennsylvania -- following a tip from a McDonald's worker --triggered an explosion of online activity, with Mangione quickly amassing new followers on social media as citizen sleuths and US media tried to understand who he is. While some lauded him as a hero and lamented his arrest, others analyzed his intellectual takes in search of ideological clues. A photo on one of his social media accounts includes an X-ray of an apparently injured spine. No explicit political affiliation has emerged. Meanwhile, memes and jokes proliferated, many riffing on his first name and comparing him to the "Mario Bros." character Luigi, sometimes depicted in AI-altered images wielding a gun or holding a Big Mac. "Godspeed. Please know that we all hear you," wrote one user on Facebook. "I want to donate to your defense fund," added another. According to Mangione's LinkedIn profile, he is employed as a data engineer at TrueCar, a California-based online auto marketplace. A company spokesperson told AFP Mangione "has not been an employee of our company since 2023." Although he had been living in Hawaii ahead of the killing, he originally hails from Towson, Maryland, near Baltimore. He comes from a prominent and wealthy Italian-American family, according to the Baltimore Banner. The family owns local businesses, including the Hayfields Country Club, its website says. A standout student, Mangione graduated at the top of his high school class in 2016. In an interview with his local paper at the time, he praised his teachers for fostering a passion for learning beyond grades and encouraging intellectual curiosity. A former student who knew Mangione at the Gilman School told AFP the suspect struck him as "a normal guy, nice kid." "There was nothing about him that was off, at least from my perception," this person said, asking that their name not be used. "Seemed to just be smiling, and kind of seemed like he was a smart kid. Ended up being valedictorian, which confirmed that," the former student said. Mangione went on to attend the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, where he completed both a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science by 2020, according to a university spokesperson. While at Penn, Mangione co-led a group of 60 undergraduates who collaborated on video game projects, as noted in a now-deleted university webpage, archived on the Wayback Machine. On Instagram, where his following has skyrocketed from hundreds to tens of thousands, Mangione shared snapshots of his travels in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. He also posted shirtless photos flaunting a six-pack and appeared in celebratory posts with fellow members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. However, it is on X (formerly Twitter) that users have scoured Mangione's posts for potential motives. His header photo -- an X-ray of a spine with bolts -- remains cryptic, with no public explanation. Finding a coherent political ideology has also proved elusive, though he had written a review of Ted Kaczynski's manifesto on the online site goodreads, calling it "prescient." Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, carried out a string of bombings in the United States from 1978 to 1995, a campaign he said was aimed at halting the advance of modern society and technology. Mangione called Kaczynski "rightfully imprisoned," while also saying "'violence never solved anything' is a statement uttered by cowards and predators." According to CNN, handwritten documents recovered when Mangione was arrested included the phrase "these parasites had it coming." Mangione has also linked approvingly to posts criticizing secularism as a harmful consequence of Christianity's decline. In April, he wrote, "Horror vacui (nature abhors a vacuum)." The following month, he posted an essay he wrote in high school titled "How Christianity Prospered by Appealing to the Lower Classes of Ancient Rome." In another post from April, he speculated that Japan's low birthrate stems from societal disconnection, adding that "fleshlights" and other vaginal-replica sex toys should be banned.
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She may have returned the USWNT to the top of the global football hierarchy by winning the Olympic gold medal, but Emma Hayes has a significant new task on her hands as the 2024 year comes to a close. The future of the goalkeeper position for the United States, a position of enormous strength over the decades, now faces uncertainty as 36-year-old legend Alyssa Naeher surprisingly announced her international retirement in late November. It came as a shock to USWNT fans as Naeher told the world she would hang up her international boots following upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands. Naeher's reveal was even more surprising given her NWSL club, the Chicago Red Stars, had just announced days prior that she would remain with the team for 2025 following a one-year extension of her contract. Now, as the calendar turns over and Emma Hayes looks towards the future, Naeher will add herself to the list of past USWNT greats like Hope Solo and Briana Scurry, while the team searches for the next great between the sticks. Alyssa Naeher stats, trophies won with USWNT At 36, Alyssa Naeher retires as a legend of the international game. She made her debut in 2014 and upon her retirement, has logged 113 international caps with the potential for two more against England and the Netherlands. Naeher is the only goalkeeper in women's soccer history to keep a clean sheet in both the Women's World Cup final and an Olympic gold medal match, winning the World Cup title in 2015 and 2019 and a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics, plus the bronze in 2020. On an individual level, Naeher won NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year in 2014 and CONCACAF Goalkeeper of the Year in 2018. Thus, the former Penn State standout is one of the most decorated goalkeepers in the global game. We’re gonna miss watching Alyssa Naeher making big saves in clutch moments for the USWNT 🥹🇺🇸 Congrats on retirement, Alyssa 🙌 pic.twitter.com/G7qQxWUiiu “Having the opportunity to be a part of the USWNT for the past 15 years has been the greatest honor,” said Naeher in the official press release. “When I began this journey, I never could have imagined where it would take me, and now I find myself so grateful for all the incredible teammates that I have shared the field with; teammates that have turned into lifelong friends. To all my teammates, coaches and staff, thank you all for pushing me, supporting me, and making me a better person/player every single day. A special thanks goes to my family. You have traveled all over the world and were in my corner every step of the way and I love you all. “This has been a special team to be a part of and I am beyond proud of what we have achieved both on and off the field. The memories I have made over the years will last me a lifetime. I know one chapter is ending, but I am so excited to continue to see the growth of this team going forward and what more they can accomplish.” Who will start at goalkeeper for the USWNT after Alyssa Naeher retires? The Sporting News looks over the top candidates to replace Naeher in goal for the foreseeable future. Casey Murphy At 28, Casey Murphy has been the backup to Alyssa Naeher for quite some time now. During Vlatko Andonovski's tenure, the former USWNT head coach made a point to give Murphy time on the pitch, noting publicly on numerous occasions how important it was for Murphy to get time in the national team system should she need to be called upon in a competitive environment. Yet of her 20 international caps dating back to late 2021, Murphy has only been deployed in six competitive matches, and none at either a World Cup or Olympic games. She saw the field in the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship for three games and has made three other SheBelieves Cup appearances. A two-time Big 10 Goalkeeper of the Year with Rutgers and a two-time NWSL Challenge Cup winner with the NC Courage, Murphy probably has the inside track to secure the long-term spot for herself. Yet due to her relative international experience and a few talented younger possibilities on the radar, it's by no means a sure thing that Hayes will hand Murphy the job. Not listed on the November roster for the European matches, the USWNT coaching staff could be thinking elsewhere. Phallon Tullis-Joyce 2024 has been a year of rising stock for 28-year-old Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who before now hadn't been on the USWNT radar. Then, two things happened to vault the former Miami Hurricane into contention for the long-term starting job with the national team. First, she moved to Manchester United in September of last year to back up Mary Earps. Then, the following summer, Earps departed for PSG. Now, Tullis-Joyce is the starter for a Women's Super League contender, which lands her squarely in Emma Hayes' sights. She's been fantastic in the job, conceding just three goals in her first eight games, and has earned her first international call-up for Naeher's European swansong in late November. She likely won't see the field with Naeher getting her final show, so can she impress enough in training to warrant future communications from Hayes? Mandy Haught The youngest of the likely options for the immediate future, Mandy Haught has risen meteorically like the aforementioned Tullis-Joyce. Winning ACC Goalkeeper of the Year twice at Virginia Tech wasn't enough to vault her into the senior national team conversation with more experienced options available, but winning the NWSL championship last year with NJ/NY Gotham FC seemed to raise enough eyebrows. After moving to the Utah Royals this season and logging a strong xG differential on an attack-deficient team, which earned her a nomination for NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year (quite the feat for a keeper on a non-playoff team), she has finally been brought into the fold. After being called up for the first time in October and getting her first start in a clean sheet performance against Argentina, she's again been included for Naeher's swansong in Europe. Jane Campbell A former four-year starter at a top collegiate program Stanford, Campbell was selected in 2017 by the Houston Dash and has been with the NWSL side ever since, winning the league's Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2023. She has been part of the senior national team picture since 2013 and won a bronze medal with the squad in 2020, but has only seen the field eight times, largely considered third-choice behind a mix of Alyssa Naeher, Ashlynn Harris, and Casey Murphy. With the Dash struggling to a last-place finish in the 2024 season, Campbell has fallen out of the picture, but could a seismic shift in the depth charge change things up? Other options If Emma Hayes is looking for a younger player to mold for a longer-term solution to bring consistency to a position that has long belonged to just a few legendary players, she could turn to some young NWSL stars or even to the collegiate ranks. Beyond Haught and Campbell, the NWSL is somewhat devoid of American standout goalkeepers (German star Ann-Katrin Berger and England-born Anna Moorhouse were two of the three 2024 Goalkeeper of the Year nominees alongside Haught). Aubrey Kingsbury is the most obvious candidate, coming up just a game short of the NWSL title this season, but the former Wake Forest star is now 33 and has been behind many of the aforementioned names on the depth chart for years now. Bella Bixby of the Portland Thorns is also 29 without a USWNT senior call-up in her career. Claudia Dickey , still just 24, was a standout at UNC and has been on the fringes of the national team conversation, but her Seattle Reign conceded the most goals in the league this season. At the collegiate ranks, Mia Justus of Texas is the cousin of former USMNT standout Tim Howard and won a national championship as a backup with Florida State before transferring. She's long been a U.S. youth international and was named to the Mac Hermann Award watch list alongside Emily Puricelli , who has much less recognition at the U.S. youth level but was exceptional for St. Louis this season, logging a .861 save percentage and conceding just 11 goals in 23 games this year, putting her in the conversation for best in the nation.
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