Transwoman Files Discrimination Lawsuit Against LPGA

Transwoman Lana Lawless filed a federal lawsuit against the LPGA yesterday.   She's arguing that the LPGA requirement that competitors be 'female at birth' violates California civil rights law.

The LPGA policy has remained the same even though the International Olympic Committee changed its rules in 2004 to allow transgender athletes to compete if they have undergone reassignment surgery and at least two years of postoperative hormone-replacement therapy.

Several other sports organizations then passed their own policies permitting transgender people to compete, including the United States Golf Association, the Ladies Golf Union in Britain and the Ladies European Golf Tour.

“I think the LPGA. is really out of step with other professional sports organizations of its size, and it’s a wake-up call to other entities that we’re not going to tolerate discrimination based on gender identity,” said Kristina Wertz, the legal director of the Transgender Law Center in San Francisco told the New York Times in an interview.  She said California was one of 13 states, and the District of Columbia, that had laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity. 

The 57 year old Lawless underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2005 and in 2008 won the women's world long driving championship by whacking a 254 yard drive into a headwind.

She was ruled ineligible for the 2010 edition of this competition overseen by Long Drivers of America when it changed its rules to match the LPGA.   It begins Thursday in Danville,CA.

“It’s an issue of access and opportunity,” Lawless said in a Tuesday telephone interview. “I’ve been shut out because of prejudice.”

The lawsuit also names Long Drivers of America and its corporate sponsors Dick's Sporting Goods, Re/Max and CVS

Team USA Women 2010 FIBA Worlds-FIBA World Champs!

Team USA had the same problems the men did a month ago in terms of facing the FIBA tournament host nation in the title game in front of a boisterous home crowd and trying at the same time to exorcise the ghosts of 2006 semifinal failure.

Like the men, the USA lady ballers had a golden result as they broke open a close 40-35 game at the half with a 34-17 third quarter to run away from the host Czech Republic 89-69.  It not only capped off a perfect 9-0 run through this 2010 FIBA world tournament, it was the eight championship for FIBA number one ranked Team USA in fifteen tournament appearances.

The American lady ballers now own a 97-21 (.822) record in FIBA competition and since 1979 have stood on the medal stand nine straight times.  They also became the first team to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics basketball tournament.

The FIBA championship win also allowed Swin Cash and Diana Taurasi to enter an exclusive sorority.   They join Sue Bird, Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Kara Wolters as the only US players who have won Olympic and FIBA World Championship gold, a WNBA title and an NCAA crown. 

Angel McCoughtry led all scorers with 18 points with Diana Taurasi. contributing 16 points to the championship cause.  Tina Charles had a double double with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Sue Bird chipped in 11 points and three assists.  Taurasi was also named to the all World Championship Team..


London will be calling for the FIBA number one ranked and eight time champions July 27-August 12.   But we have a a few months to think about who we'll send to England to embark upon our drive for Olympic Gold medal Five.  

Team USA Women 2010 FIBA Worlds-On To The Finals

Diana Taurasi,. Sue Bird and Tamika Catchings remember what happened four years ago when they were 7-0 and in a similar position in the FIBA World championship semifinals. 

They were cruising through the 2006 FIBA worlds enroute to a highly anticipated championship showdown with Australia but were handed a 75-68 upset loss by Russia that ended their 50 game winning streak in FIBA competition .  

That USA finished the tournament 8-1 but left Brazil with bronze medals and a bad taste in their mouths.   They also had to go through the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament to qualify for the Beijing Games..

The 2010 Team USA tri-captains made sure there would be no repeat of that 2006 disappointment as they jumped on Spain early for a 29-16 first quarter lead and sprinted to a 106-70 win to send them to tomorrow's championship game against the host Czech Republic.. 


The Team USA women average victory margin has been 37 points as they have rolled through the 2010 FIBA Worlds.  They passed the 100 point barrier for the fourth time in this tournament and the 17th time in USA FIBA championship history.  

Everybody scored for Team USA paced by Tamika Catchings 14 points.   Sylvia Fowles added 13 points and six rebounds to another sterling team effort by our lady ballers, with Diana Taurasi and Angel McCoughtry both scoring 11 apiece.   Swin Cash, Asjha Jones and Tina Charles all scored nine points to propel Team USA to their first FIBA final since 2002.

Only one game to go for the FIBA number 1 ranked Americans to cap a remarkable run for this team, but it will be in front of a hostile crowd and an opponent who has already knocked off the defending FIBA champions.

Team USA Women 2010 FIBA Worlds-Korea KOed 106-44

We are now in the knockout rounds of the 2010 FIBA Women's World Championships in which one bad day or one bad quarter at the wrong time and it's off to the classification round.

That lesson was driven home in today quarterfinal matchups in Karlovy Vary when defending FIBA champ Australia was upset by the host Czech Republic 79-68.   Previously unbeaten FIBA number 2 ranked Russia succumbed to the upset bug and was shockingly knocked off 70-53 by a Belarus team in its first FIBA competition.

It remains to be seen if Belarus head coach Anatoli Buyalski puts on the dress he promised his team he'd wear if his team knocked off Russia.

Team USA seemed to be immune to the basketball upset bug roaming around Karlovy Vary.   The American lady ballers put together another dominating performance in which six players were in double figures led by Angel McCoughtry's 17 points, had a 59-16 rebounding edge, shot 57.1% for the game, 36.4% from three point range and were whistled for just five fouls in the entire game as they knocked out Korea 106-44 to move on to the semifinals.

They will face a Spanish team that had to work overtime to beat France 74-71

Candice Dupree had a double double with 12 points and 16 rebounds, .Maya Moore contributed 15 points to the basketball cause, Swin Cash chipped in 11 points and Sylvia Fowles and Tina Charles added 10 each as the posted their third 100 point game in this 2010 FIBA World Championship tournament.   .

With the win Team USA has advanced to its ninth consecutive World Championship medal semifinal game dating back to the 1979 FIBA Worlds.

That 1979 team was coached by the University of Tennessee’s Pat Summitt and went on to capture the gold medal.

Coach Auriemma and the 2010 USA squad are now 7-0 and only two wins away from their twin goals of an eighth FIBA world title and that coveted birth in the 2010 London Olympic basketball tourney. .