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The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) released a statement Tuesday regarding a sudden controversy involving a player who previously failed a genetic test.
The statement defends Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, who was deemed ineligible to compete for Zambia in a 2022 World Cup qualifying tournament after a test revealed Banda’s natural testosterone levels were higher than those allowed by the Confederation of African Football.
The statement also comes after Angel City FC’s Elizabeth Eddy published an opinion piece in the New York Post last week calling for the NWSL to adopt a stricter gender eligibility policy.
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Barbra Banda of Zambia celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal from the penalty spot during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group C match between Costa Rica and Zambia at Waikato Stadium on July 31, 2023 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Hannah Peters – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
“Barbra Banda is a premier player in the NWSL. Barbra’s selection to the FIFPRO World
“Her contributions to Orlando Pride and the NWSL have been transformative. Any harassment or hateful attack against Barbra is unacceptable and has no place in our sport, our league or our communities. We unequivocally stand with Barbra and every player in the NWSL.”
Meanwhile, the Orlando Pride released a similar statement in defense of Banda on Tuesday around the same time as the NWSL’s.
“Barbra Banda is a superb teammate, player and role model, and we are proud to have her represent Orlando Pride, our fans and our community. Both in Orlando and on the national stage, Barbra continues to shine, including recently being named to her second consecutive FIFPRO World 11, an award exclusively selected by her peers around the world,” the team said.
“We look forward to continuing to celebrate Barbra and her future accolades, and supporting her journey as one of the many incredible athletes in our league.”
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These statements sparked mixed reactions on social media.
Eddy’s editorial sparked debate among fans and even drew reprimands from her teammates.
Eddy argued in the article that the NWSL “must adopt a clear standard”, adding that only players “born with ovaries” should be allowed to play, in line with the standards of the Women’s Super League in the UK, or that the league should adopt a SRY gene testlike World Athletics and World Boxing.
“Fairness and inclusion are core American values. Reasonable people can disagree about what boundaries should be set, but avoiding the conversation altogether by excluding diverse viewpoints does not serve us. In fact, we owe it to current and future female athletes to resolve this issue,” the 11-year veteran wrote.
Eddy’s Angel City FC teammates, Sarah Gorden and Angelina Anderson, spoke at a press conference over the weekend.
“This article does not speak for this team in this locker room. I’ve had a lot of (conversations) with my teammates over the last few days and they’re hurt and they’re hurt by the article, and also, they’re disgusted by some of the things that were said in the article and it’s really important for me to say that,” Gorden said Friday.
“We disagree with things written for a multitude of reasons, but most of the time the nuances also seem transphobic and racist. The article request genetic testing on some players and there is a photo of a current African player. It’s very damaging, and to me it’s inherently racist, because isolating this community based on how they look or how they’re different is absolutely a problem. As a mixed-race woman from a black family, I am devastated by the implications of this article.”
Anderson spoke about what she believed the club stood for.
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Barbra Banda of the Orlando Pride watches the NWSL match between Portland Thorns and Orlando Pride at Providence Park on May 3, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. (Soobum Im/NWSL via Getty Images)
“For me personally, when I think of Los Angeles, and I think of City of AngelsI think of a place that was founded on inclusiveness and love for all – that’s what our locker room is, what our staff is, that’s what our fan base is. Angel City is a place for everyone. This will always be the case. That’s how it’s been since the beginning, that’s how it always will be. Period,” she said.
“I think this situation, there’s an element of timing that makes this feel like another very big challenge that we have to face as a team on top of an already very difficult year. And it’s certainly not the note that we as a group want to end on, and so I just want everyone to know that we’re doing our best in the locker room to maintain respect and belonging on this team and we look forward to ending the season on as positive a note as possible.”
