Two female track and field athletes turned their backs on the podium over the weekend rather than share it with a male athlete.
After finishing third and fourth in high jump — and ahead of the transgender athlete — Reese Eckard of Sherwood High School and Alexa Anderson of Tigard High School stepped off the winner's podium Saturday and turned their backs to the medal presentation, signaling they did not wish to take part.
Video from the Oregon state championships at Hayward Field in Eugene showed an official direct the two girls out of the view of photographers as the other competitors received their medals. The young women then stood off to the side. At the same time, male athlete Lia Rose took the fifth-place position, sharing the spot with a female.
Anderson told Fox News she and Eckard simply wanted to make a statement about fairness: "We didn't refuse to stand on the podium out of hate. We did it because someone has to say this isn't right. In order to protect the integrity and fairness of girls sports we must stand up for what is right."
