Sharron Davies has commended Donald Trump after he signed an executive order to ban trans athletes from participating in women’s sporting events, while pleading with Keir Starmer to do the same in the UK.
The former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics took to X/Twitter to share her views on the matter, saying the decision was ‘in the USA not the UK unfortunately’.
In a bid of desperation for the UK to follow in the US president’s footsteps, Davies wrote: ‘Please Keir Starmer can you now do as you said you would & protect all female athletes here in the Uk in sport & stop males from stealing their places, awards & increasing their risk of injury? Sex in sport really matters…’
It comes after Trump signed the controversial new executive order barring transgender women and girls from competing in female sports, fulfilling a campaign promise to ‘keep men out of women’s sports’.
The order, titled ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,’ was signed on National Girls and Women in Sports Day and will penalise schools and athletic associations that allow transgender athletes to participate in female categories.
Schools found in violation could lose federal funding under the directive.
In a post shared by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that read: PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT! President Trump signs an Executive Order to BAN men in women’s sports!’ Davies responded while praising the American leader.
‘And it’s so important this is phrased correctly. Trump has correctly banned ‘males’ from a category they never ever belonged in.. women & girls,’ she wrote.
Sharron Davies has begged Keir Starmer to follow in Donald Trump’s footsteps after he signed a bill that will see trans athletes banned from women’s sporting events
US President Donald Trump (C), surrounded by young female athletes, signs an executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports, in the East Room of the White House in Washington
Olympic medalist Sharron Davies pictured in the Gladiators game show – produced by LWT for ITV from 10 October 1992 to 1 January 2000
Davies wrote to the British PM: ‘Please Kier Starmer can you now do as you said you would & protect all female athletes here in the Uk in sport & stop males from stealing their places, awards & increasing their risk of injury?’
‘Biology matters especially in a physical activity like sport, but women & girls deserve spaces away from any & all males’.
Surrounded by female athletes and supporters at the signing, Trump declared: ‘The war on women’s sports is over.’
He framed the move as a necessary step to protect fairness in female athletics, comparing it to his previous efforts to remove what he called ‘woke lunacy’ from the military.
The order goes beyond school sports, with Trump also vowing to block transgender athletes from competing in elite international events hosted in the US.
Referring to the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Trump stated: ‘My administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes.
‘We’re not going to let it happen.’
In a dramatic move, he also announced that his administration would deny visa applications for transgender women who attempt to compete as female athletes in US-based competitions.
‘Just to make sure, I’m directing our secretary of homeland security to block any fraudulent applications by men trying to enter the US as women athletes,’ Trump added.
This is the third executive order Trump has signed targeting transgender people since returning to office last month.
His previous orders have rolled back transgender participation in the military and access to gender-affirming care.
US President Donald Trump speaks during an event before signing an executive order related to transgender athletes in women’s sports
Trump (L) greets advocate and former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines (R), during a signing ceremony for the executive order
The order, titled ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,’ was signed on National Girls and Women in Sports Day
On his first day in office, Trump also signed a directive stating that the federal government will only recognise two genders: male and female.
Critics argue the latest order could have far-reaching consequences beyond elite sports, impacting young children who wish to participate in school athletics.
Olivia Hunt, director of federal policy at Advocates for Trans Equality, warned that the policy would isolate and stigmatise transgender youth: ‘We are telling these children they don’t deserve the same opportunities as their peers.
‘We are setting them apart, making them feel different, and opening the door to bullying,’ she said.
Trump’s executive order could face legal challenges, as it is expected to clash with Title IX, the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.
Legal experts have suggested that Trump could have achieved the same outcome by simply interpreting existing regulations differently, rather than issuing a sweeping executive order.
Cheryl Cooky, a professor at Purdue University who studies gender and sports, dismissed the move as a ‘solution looking for a problem,’ while Duke Law professor Doriane Lambelet Coleman noted that federal agencies already have discretion in enforcing Title IX.
While the number of transgender athletes competing at elite levels remains small, high-profile cases – such as swimmer Lia Thomas – have fueled national debate over the issue.
