SPORTS & HEALTH

Testimonies and Supreme Court documents reveal that female athletes feel nervous about the future

By AURELIEN CLAVAUD Asst. Sports and Health Editor

America is never stagnant. Landmark achievements can shape an entire generation. Some can be touchstones for American freedom, while others may tip the scales completely.

On June 23, 1972, Congress passed Title IX, which prevents sex discrimination in educational settings that receive federal funding. The act was one of many education reforms that were passed that year. It was a progressive milestone on the tail end of a tumultuous period of social upheaval characterized by the sexual revolution, the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement.

Title IX reinforced constitutional freedom. It was — and still is — a fundamental pillar of women’s rights in America. Today, Title IX is often referenced for giving women the same opportunities and funding for athletics that are given to men.

Roe v. Wade was another constitutional precedent that was settled during this period of time. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of reproductive choice on Jan. 22, 1973, roughly seven months after Title IX passed in Congress.

Title IX celebrated its 50th anniversary on June 23, 2022. The anniversary was grimly followed by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade just one day later on June 24.

Advocacy groups such as Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union have cited the 1973 decision as a crowning achievement for equal rights, arguing that the constitutional right to freedom includes the right to reproductive choice.

However, the Supreme Court has recently swung to the political right. In the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case which involved a Mississippi law that would ban abortions after 15 weeks, the majority opinion held that “the constitution does not confer a right to abortion.”

This effectively overruled Roe as well as Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a similar case decided in 1992 that furthered the precedent set by Roe v. Wade. The decision caused an upset throughout the nation.

Before the ruling, a draft opinion was leaked to Politico. An analysis by the Graduate School of Global Affairs at Tufts University found that following the leak, social media (specifically Twitter) erupted in negativity, reaching a peak on June 24.

A particular subset of these reactions belonged to female athletes. Many of these athletes have since made statements regarding their fears that go beyond what other activists are saying about a “Post-Roe America.”

A general sentiment among female athletes is best articulated by an amicus curiae brief in support of abortion access. The brief was submitted during the Dobbs case and consists of testimonies from over 500 current and former women in sports.

“Without Roe’s constitutional protection of women’s bodily integrity,” the authors said in the brief, “women would not have been able to take advantage of Title IX and achieve the tremendous level of athletic participation and success that they enjoy today.”

Many of these arguments cite deliberations from Roe and Casey. Primarily, the brief stated that women athletes would not be able to fully participate in sports without the protections afforded by Roe.

Quoting Casey, the brief argued, “For a female athlete facing the physical and emotional realities of pregnancy, the right to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to term is critical for her ability to ‘participate equally in the economic and social life of the Nation,’ including sports.”

The brief also included personal stories. An anonymous professional soccer player recounted her experience and, crucially, her freedom of choice under the Roe precedent.

“I accidentally became pregnant in college due to a failure in my birth control,” the player explained. “I went to Planned Parenthood to discuss my options, and I decided to have an abortion to ensure I could continue to pursue my collegiate and professional soccer career ... knowing I had the option to control my body and my life ... is what gave me the freedom to pursue my dreams.”

The brief’s argumentative power lies in the balance between a woman’s dreams and her personal life. Once again quoting Casey, the brief explained, “The decision to become pregnant, thereby risking long-term health and career consequences, involves ‘the most intimate and personal choices a person may make in a lifetime, choices central to personal dignity and autonomy.’”

The brief features many prominent female athletes such as soccer star Megan Rapinoe and water poloist Ashleigh Johnson. It is a culmination of years of activism by athletes across the nation.

Some, such as Billie Jean King, a legendary tennis player and icon of the women’s rights movement, spoke out even before the decision was released.

In May 2022, King tweeted, “A woman has had the right to make decisions for her body since #RoeVWade in 1973. If Roe falls, millions of Americans would lose access to critical reproductive care.”

On the day of the decision, these athletes solemnly reflected on the consequences. During a pre-match press conference, Rapinoe condemned the majority opinion.

“I wish we could talk about soccer today,” Rapinoe said. “But obviously, with the ruling on Roe v. Wade, obviously that takes precedence over everything.”

In a tweet, tennis player Coco Gauff shed light on a major risk of banning abortions, saying that “The sad part is this (the Supreme Court ruling) will not stop abortions from happening ... this will only increase illegal and unsafe abortions. Today is a very sad day for our country and I cannot believe once again history is repeating itself.”

Johnson — who featured in a Time magazine article — spoke about the lasting repercussions women may face. “It’s just one more barrier. It’s really hard to consider sports this clear pathway for girls to find empowerment and for women to really pursue their dreams if they don’t have these protections.”

Time also featured Crissy Perham, an Olympic swimmer and gold medalist who is personally invested in abortion rights activism. Perham publicly shared her story in the brief. When she was in the midst of her collegiate career, on scholarship at the University of Arizona, her birth control failed. She was faced with a daunting decision.

“I wasn’t ready to be a mom, and having an abortion felt like I was given a second chance at life,” Perham wrote in the brief. “I was able to take control of my future and refocus my priorities. I got better in school, I started training really hard, and that summer, I won my first national championship. My life would be drastically different if I had been pregnant and forced to sit that race out, because that race changed the course of my life.”

Following the abortion, Perham made the national team. Perham called out what she views as hypocrisy: praising Title IX as a major step forward just a day before the Supreme Court ruling. For her, and for many athletes across the nation, it is hard to hear that women’s opportunities have been expanded and that Title IX offers equality and freedom, all while those very freedoms are seemingly undermined.

There have been undeniably negative reactions to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and female athletes make up a considerable share of these outcries. For these women, Title IX and Roe v. Wade were two sides of the same coin. Removing one undermines the other and puts female athletes in danger.

If America stands for denying reproductive rights in favor of a strict interpretation of the Constitution, then these women want nothing to do with it. They have demonstrated a will to redirect the narrative of this nation, leveraging their platforms to highlight what they believe should be lasting reform.

GRAPHIC BY MARIA TERZULI/THE OBSERVER

Men’s Soccer Dominates St. Bonaventure, 3-0

The Rams broke a three-game streak of ties with a resounding victory against their conference rival

By CHARLES BINNS and

AURELIEN CLAVAUD

Contributing Writer and Asst. Sports and Health Editor

In their second Atlantic 10 (A10) contest of the budding season, the Fordham men’s soccer team secured a decisive 3-0 win against the St. Bonaventure University (SBU) Bonnies on Sept. 25. The start of the year for the Rams has been middling in many respects, entering the SBU game with a 2-1-4 record despite having a 7-9-3 season the year before. After an uneventful first half, the Rams exploded in the second to take an insurmountable lead over the Bonnies.

The game was certainly a tale of two halves. As the Rams lined up, attention was placed upon this season’s star, Nathan Simes, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’26. With six goal contributions this season, five goals and one assist, the New Zealander first-year provides young blood to what most consider a veteran-led team. The first half began with 20 minutes of Ram domination, as Head Coach Carlo Acquista’s team looked to set the tone. Although out of possession for large portions, St. Bonaventure never lacked effort, with David Cubillos, SBU ’24, spraying the ball to both wings, advancing play and targeting leading goalscorer Matthew Wrobel, SBU ’25.

Fordham’s dominance in the first portion of the game did not result in a goal, something out of character for Simes considering his recent form. However, his pressure on the back line of the opposition led to the Rams’ control over possession.

The Bonnies began stamping their presence in the game just before the end of the half when Peter Massoqui, SBU ’23, struck the post in a 1v1 with Fordham keeper Demetri Skoumbakis, Gabelli Graduate School of Business (GGSB) ’23. When the halftime whistle signaled the break, the on-screen statistics did not tell the full story, as Fordham had nine shots to St. Bonaventure’s three.

The halftime break revitalized the Rams as they came out firing. Their energy overwhelmed the Bonnies, who must have felt as though they were coming back into the game with an opportunity to steal a goal. However, the first attack of the second half was executed by Fordham, setting a dangerous tone. As the Rams pushed down the left wing, Simes intelligently laid the ball off to Jakob Gesien, GGSB ’23, who ultimately missed.

This pressure set the tone, as the second wind did not come unfulfilled. Adrian Valentine, GSBRH ’23, played a reverse ball across the 6-yard line where midfielder Ben Shepherd, GGSB ’23, buried the ball into the bottom left corner to give the Rams the lead.

The goal seemed to wake up St. Bonaventure, as they began to build pressure with an excellent opportunity for Matthew Wroebl, SBU ’25, around 32 minutes left in the game, but he was unable to capitalize on it. Fordham’s control of the game resumed, when St. Bonaventure goalkeeper Nicolas Pucci, SBU ’26, came rushing out of the goal and fouled Florian Deletioglu, GSBRH ’24. Jack Sluys, GGSB ’23, slotted the penalty kick home to put the Rams up 2-0. St. Bonaventure showed little resistance when mere minutes after, Jed Dixon, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’25, received the ball from penalty winner Deletioglu and put the Rams up 3-0, effectively ending the game.

Fordham dominated the game, but it was not one that lacked opportunities for St. Bonaventure. However, the Bonnies were not clinical enough, and they suffered the consequences. Meanwhile, the Rams managed to score three goals without Simes finding the back of the net. High-scoring games are undoubtedly a step to regaining the success of two seasons ago when Fordham won the A10 Championship.

With the win on Saturday, the Rams have broken a three-game tying streak, including a scoreless game against Loyola University Maryland. The Rams then drew, 1-1, against Rutgers University on Sept. 26 in their final non-conference game before facing a slate of A10 contests.

The first of the conference games will be against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen on Alumni Day on Oct. 1.