Jackie Fulkrod, the now-former president of the Cheyenne Tennis Association Board, resigned from her leadership position after the organization allowed a transgender college athlete to compete in the Wyoming Governor’s Cup.
Brooklyn Ross, a transgender woman from the University of Texas at Tyler, was permitted to play because of fair competition, according to the association.
Fulkrod said this decision competed with her integrity, beliefs, and values.
"My decision to resign was solely based on the fact that we didn’t have any way to protect our organization or protect our female athletes that are going to be playing in the tournament," the former board president said.
Last month, the international governing body for swimming, World Aquatics, announced an open category for swimming competitions was in the works to provide a middle ground for transgender participation.
The United States Tennis Association defined the organization’s policies on inclusion in a statement to Fox News.
"Tennis thrives when the sport embraces inclusion. For that reason, tennis is open to all regardless of one's age, ethnicity, race, religious background, sexual orientation or gender identity," Executive Director and District League Coordinator Peg Connor said in the statement.
The policy allows transgender participation if the athlete has "declared that her gender identity is female" and does not change that declaration for four years.
"I think a man playing against a woman is a very unfair matchup when it’s specifically meant for women in that specific draw," Fulkrod said.
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