US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday attempting to exclude transgender girls and women from female sports, a directive that supporters say will restore fairness but critics say infringes on the rights of a tiny minority of athletes.
The order directs the Department of Justice to ban transgender girls and women from participating in female school sports under Trump's interpretation of Title IX, a law against sex discrimination in education.
"The war on women's sports is over," Trump said at a signing ceremony with dozens of women and girls aligned behind him.
"My administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes."