USA Fencing clarifies chairman's photo which caused frenzy before hearing

USA Fencing chairman Damien Lehfeldt clarified a photo posted on his private Instagram account on Wednesday, showing that he was holding up two fingers.

Lehfeldt’s initial photo appeared to show him holding up a middle finger ahead of a hearing in front of Congressional lawmakers on keeping men out of women’s sports. The photo showed his other finger cropped out of the photo.

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A caption, which read "game day," was placed on the top of the photo.

USA Fencing shared the full uncropped photo from Lehfeldt with Fox News Digital.

The hearing comes weeks after fencer Stephanie Turner knelt in protest of a transgender opponent at an event. It sparked outrage against the organization, and it led Turner to step away from the sport altogether.

The organization said last month it was preparing to amend its current policies that allow biological males to compete with women and girls in the event that it is "forced" to change them. 

"In the event that USA Fencing is forced to change its current stance in accordance with oversight bodies or federal legislation, the new policy states athletes competing in USA Fencing-sanctioned tournaments must compete according to their biological sex," the announcement read.

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The proposed updated policy ensures that women's category "will be open exclusively to athletes of the female sex." The men's category "will be open to all other athletes who are otherwise eligible for competition."

The change would go into effect across sanctioned competition levels, including Division I, IA, II, III, Junior, Cadet, Youth, Veteran and all other categories. 

"If adopted, this policy is solely to ensure future compliance required by oversight organizations. This policy does not reflect any change in our strong support for each individual's right to identity," the announcement read. 

"We recognize that many people — particularly transgender and non-binary athletes and their supporters in fencing clubs nationwide — will be profoundly impacted if this policy takes effect."

Turner is expected to be a witness in the hearing along with Payton McNabb, the former volleyball who suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of a spike from a transgender athlete.

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