Pro rugby union player Ilona Maher lambasted Quinnipiac’s recent decision to relegate the women’s varsity rugby team to club status. This comes amid Quinnipiac’s attempt to realign its athletics portfolio to bring in gender equality in accordance with its Title IX compliance program.
The university reviewed its varsity participation, conference affiliation, department resources, and gender equity considerations, and taking the latter into premier consideration, Quinnipiac added a new men’s indoor and outdoor distance program to uphold its gender equity norms. The reason given for the change primarily leaned on building sustainable competitive sports programs.
Connecticut’s Quinnipiac Bobcats have had several high-ranking alumni, particularly the Olympic medalist Ilona Maher, a known voice for women’s rights in sports. Bringing in the men’s program has shifted the women’s varsity team to a club status, which disqualifies it from availing itself of varsity-level resources.
The new addition did not sit well with Maher as she took to her social media and called out their decision, pointing out how this decision contradicts their stated goal of gender equality. This also points out how other women athletes who relied on those resources will now have nowhere to go, as losing an athletic scholarship makes it almost impossible to survive in an elite university.
“Shame on you,” Maher wrote on Instagram.
Although the university hasn’t explicitly mentioned athletes losing scholarships, Greg Amodio, director of athletics, highlighted that the university has committed to helping those who would be possibly affected by this plan.
When Ilona Maher Talked about Balancing Rugby with Femininity
Olympic medalist Ilona Maher has taken women’s rugby to new heights and has constantly made sure to voice her views against barbaric criticism that falls outside the realm of sports.
During an old interview, Maher spoke about her ability to wear different hats as per circumstance, which makes her stand out as a beast on the field while retaining her feminine persona outside.
“I think there’s always been a divide, people believing that when you’re playing sports, you can’t be feminine. I feel that I can be a beast and can play this very physical sport while also keeping my femininity while I do it,” she said (1:45).
She also emphasized how women should visit the gym often and experiment with what they are capable of to gain.
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