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Fencer who took a knee tells Fox News, “I prayed to God, if this is something he wanted me to protest, then he would put” a trans opponent in the event
Stephanie Turner: “It's possible [Red Sullivan] and I never would have fenced that day”
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From the May 7, 2025, edition of Fox News' FOX and Friends.
BRIAN KILMEADE (HOST): Now, let's talk sports. This female fencer disqualified, disqualified in March when she took a knee and refused to compete against a transgender opponent. And today she'll testify before the House DOGE subcommittee today about that incident and so will the USA Fencing board chair. Before her testimony on the Hill, competitive fencer Stephanie Turner joins us now. Stephanie, I know you're looking forward to testifying today but bring us back, and we can pull up that video, bring us back to that moment and what led to you taking a knee?
STEPHANIE TURNER (FENCER): So it really started the night before and also like a few years before. This issue has been on my heart for several years now. So the night before I looked at the registration list and I saw [Red] Sullivan's name and I recognized it and I knew that [Sullivan] was [trans]. So, I prayed to God, if this is something he wanted me to protest, then he would put [Red] Sullivan in my — have [Sullivan] and I fence face to face. Because it's possible within a tournament that, with all the randomization pools and then brackets, it's possible [Sullivan] and I never would have fenced that day.