Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling criticized a transgender athlete from Australia who expressed concerns about being possibly barred from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Hannah Mouncey, born Callum, competed for the Australian men’s handball team before transitioning in 2015 and playing for her country’s women’s team.
In the United States, President Trump has led significant efforts this year to exclude transgender athletes from women’s sports at all levels—a campaign issue he emphasized last year.
At the start of August, the Department of Homeland Security revised visa regulations to prevent transgender women from entering the US for participation in high-level sports competitions.
In response to these changes, Mouncey, 35, stated in an interview with Code AFL in Australia, “Banning someone who has done nothing wrong is unfair. It’s beyond their control. Athletes caught doping can compete again after four years.”
As the interview on the polarizing topic gained traction it caught the eye of Rowling, a fierce citic of trans athletes competing against women.
JK Rowling tore into Australian trans athlete Hannah Mouncey over her Olympics comments
Mouncey faces a ban from the LA Olympics amid new visa rules Donald Trump has overseen
‘Man fears he won’t be allowed to cheat his way to the Olympics by playing against women,’ Rowling wrote, linking to a report on Mouncey’s comments.
Mouncey argued, “There is a narrative being used against individuals like myself, suggesting that we are cheating. Learn more about why this perspective could be upsetting to those involved and why the potential risks to women competitors are being overlooked.”
Rowling’s stance has caused friction with her huge following from writing the Harry Potter series but it remains something she is defiant on.
In the Code AFL interview, Mouncey said she expects to be banned from competing ‘by the end of the year, if I am honest.’
Mouncey added, “Challenges are likely to arise. The trajectory seems to be moving towards widespread bans, not just affecting transgender athletes, but also those who are intersex. They may have to compete in men’s events.”
‘But I am playing for Australia at the moment, I have played for the Australian women’s team for seven or eight years now, and I have had no issues really at all, especially from overseas.’
But the United States Citizenship and Immigration Proccess released a statement on August 4 underlining the determination to enforce the ruling.
‘It’s a matter of safety, fairness, respect, and truth that only female athletes receive a visa to come to the U.S. to participate in women’s sports,’ they said in a statement.
The issue has been a key topic of focus since Trump returned to the White House
Imane Khelif was subjected to scrutiny over her gender eligibiltiy at last year’s Olympics
‘The Trump Administration is standing up for the silent majority who’ve long been victims of leftist policies that defy common sense.’
The issue was a huge talking point in last year’s Paris Olympics, especially in women’s boxing.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif received major international scrutiny as she fought her way to a gold medal, sparked in part by Italian boxer Angela Carini tearfully quitting their fight after 46 seconds and refusing to shake Khelif’s hand. While Khelif is not transgender, she was alleged to have failed a gender test two years ago.
The previous governing body for Olympic boxing, the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association, had disqualified Khelif from its 2023 world championships after claiming she failed unspecified eligibility tests.
But the IBA was banished for decades of misdeeds and controversy. The IOC ran the past two Olympic boxing tournaments in its place and it applied the sex eligibility rules used in previous Olympics. Khelif was eligible to compete under those standards.
Khelif, 26, was widely expected to return to boxing in June in the Netherlands but the Olympic champion skipped the Eindhoven Box Cup after World Boxing announced mandatory sex testing for all athletes.
The Los Angeles Olympics run from July 14-30, 2028.
