Virginia Governor Withdraws Proposed Female‑Sports Regulation After NCAA Controversy

Olympic swimmer Réka György, who was denied a spot in the 2022 NCAA Women’s Swimming Final after competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, has called out Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger for pulling a regulation that would have barred biological males from female‑only teams and spaces. György, along with former Roanoke College swimmers Lily Mullens and Carter Satterfield, petitioned the Virginia Board of Health in April 2025. The board voted 14‑0 in August 2025 to begin the regulatory process, and the Youngkin administration issued a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action in November. On July 30, Spanberger’s administration withdrew the action, citing a lack of statutory authority, and the decision was published in the Virginia Register of Regulations without a public statement. György says she plans to seek a conversation with the governor to explain her concerns about protecting female athletes and private spaces.