CeCé Telfer, a transgender athlete who won an NCAA women's track and field championship in 2019, vowed in a recent interview to return to indoor competition and pick up wins.
Telfer generated controversy earlier this year with victories in indoor competitions in the New England area. However, with the publication of a new book, Telfer promised to take home more than just a medal.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Cece Telfer attends Corey O'Brien's “Everyone Loves Corey” at The Comedy Chateau on November 2, 2023 in North Hollywood, California. (Victoria Sirakova/Getty Images for Corey O'Brien)
“I really want to run indoors, because 2024 indoors will be epic,” Telfer said in an interview with Them. “My dreams were taken away from me once again. So I plan to come back to New England, do all the indoor competitions and take all the names, all the records and everything.
“That doesn't look like first all the time, that doesn't look like second place, that doesn't look like the podium all the time, but the races on the track that count will count. That's what burns this fire in my heart and in my “So it keeps me knowing that I can go to indoor competitions and still be the girl to talk about, period.”
The NCAA has yet to outline specific rules regarding transgender athletes in sports. The NCAA said it would follow the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and that each sport would follow the national governing body for each sport. If there was no national governing body, then each sport would adhere to international politics. The NCAA updated its transgender policy effective Jan. 19, 2022, with final implementation beginning Aug. 1.
Franklin Pierce's CeCe Telfer wins the 400 meter hurdles during the Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships held at Javelina Stadium on May 25, 2019 in Kingsville, Texas. (Rudy González/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
RILEY GAINES SAYS BIDEN ADMIN'S BLOCKING OF TITLE IX CHANGES IS A 'GREAT VICTORY FOR HUMANITY'
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) banned transgender athletes from women's sports earlier this year.
The NAIA said its decision was based on “fair and safe competition for all student-athletes” and that “Title IX ensures that there are separate and equal opportunities for female athletes.” The organization said only athletes whose biological sex is female can participate in “NAIA-sponsored women's sports.” The policy goes into effect August 1.
Telfer, who competed for Franklin Pierce University, was “heartbroken” and “distressed” by the rules.
“Because I think, why are we going back? Why are we going back? We're literally going back in history,” Telfer said. “This is not real life, because we were moving forward and now we are moving backwards. This is scary. The fact that people are powerful enough to step back is scary, not just for transgender women, but it should be scary for the society”. in general because people think that [anti-trans advocates are] Let's stop at transgender women. No. They have always been watching women's bodies. It all depends on cis women and what happens in their lives and their bodies.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“It breaks my heart because I had an opportunity. The NCAA saw me. They gave me the opportunity to be that voice and be that physical change, and they were taking a step in the right direction and obviously creating history, hoping that other organizations would follow.”
Follow Fox News Digital sports coverage in X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
