A federal judge in Connecticut ruled that cheerleading may not be considered a varsity sport
for purposes of complying with federal gender-equity law. The judge ruled that cheerleading was deemed too “disorganized” for full sporting status and
declared a “support activity.”
The decision followed a legal case brought by players on Quinnipiac University in Connecticut
women's volleyball team who claimed they were the victims of
discrimination in favor of cheerleaders.
Quinnipiac University announced in March last year that
it was cutting the women's volleyball team to save money. That would
have put it in breach of equality laws that require it to offer similar
athletic opportunities for male and female students.
The university said it would instead offer a sporting outlet for girls
by setting up a cheerleading squad, which was less expensive. Volleyball
players, along with the coach, sued the university, arguing that cheerleading
was not a sport.
In a 95-page opinion, District Judge Stefan R. Underhill ruled that Quinnipiac
University violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 by
failing to provide equal opportunities for athletics participation to
female students. He called for Quinnipiac
to produce within 60 days a plan detailing how it will come into
compliance with Title IX regulations for the 2010-11 academic year.
U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill ruled: “Competitive cheer may, some
time in the future, qualify as a sport. Today, however, the activity is
still too underdeveloped and disorganised to be treated as offering
genuine varsity athletic participation opportunities for students.”
It was believed to be the first time the sporting status of college
cheerleading has been decided by a judge.
Judge Underhill later ordered the university to reinstate the
volleyball team while the case was pending.
The university's men's golf and men's outdoor track were also eliminated.
