Female HS track athletes refuse podium spots next to transgender athlete: 'Someone has to say this isn't right'

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.

'We didn't refuse to stand on the podium out of hate.'

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."

RELATED: 4 Oregon HS girls refuse to compete against male athlete who is dominating girls' track and field

"We are finally seeing some women fed up with this insanity," T.J. Moe, producer of BlazeTV's "Fearless with Jason Whitlock," told Blaze News. "This trend will continue. Soon these confused boys will be standing alone on the podiums. Soon after that they will be competing alone because these women have finally decided to do something about it."

Former NCAA champion and women's sports activist Riley Gaines shared the video and commented, "Two female athletes in Oregon refused to stand on the podium because a boy was awarded a place. Girls have had enough."

Comedian Tim Young added, "Not all heroes wear capes. Good for them! Shame on the adult who pushed them off to the sidelines."

It was the second time in two months that female high school athletes in Oregon have protested competing against Rose.

In April, Blaze News reported about four girls who refused to participate against the male at the Therapeutic Associates Chehalem Classic; the girls even took a knee in protest.

Sophia Carpenter said she and three other females forfeited after learning they would be forced to compete against a biological male. Rose ended up beating 18 girls to win the competition.

RELATED: 'Death of women's sports': Male track runner shocks viewers with massive size advantage over female competitors

Transgender athlete AB Hernandez has caused controversy in girls' high jump in California. Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images

Carpenter admitted her grim reality at the time, stating, "I know I can drop out, but in the future, I won't be able to because we want to compete in college, and recruiters are looking at us in our marks."

Earlier that same month, Rose won the high jump at the Portland Interscholastic League Varsity Relays. He had competed in the same competition against boys in 2023 but finished in last place.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!