U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., on Thursday sent a letter to Gavin Newsom, imploring the California governor to push for banning transgender female athletes from participating in women’s sports in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Tuberville, the former Auburn University football coach who is the sponsor of a bill codifying President Donald Trump’s transgender ban into law, urged Newsom to build on the governor’s announcement on his podcast earlier this month opposing transgender women and girls in female sports.

“While I would have preferred your comments to have come before the pivotal vote,” Tuberville wrote in the letter provided by his office, “I still commend you for your courage and am hopeful that your Democrat colleagues might follow your lead and vote differently on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in the future.”

The eyes of the world will be on Los Angeles in three years, when the city hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics, Tuberville said.

“It doesn’t matter who you are – whether Democrat or Republican, rich or poor, male or female – we all come together under the red, white, and blue during these games,” Tuberville wrote.

“The Olympics are a celebration of human excellence, diversity, and sportsmanship, but it’s also an opportunity to show the world what we stand for.”

“As Governor of California,” Tuberville’s letter continued, “you have a massive opportunity to send a clear message to the world: in the United States, we protect the rights of women to fairly and safely compete. As we welcome athletes from all backgrounds, it is crucial that we strike a balance between fair competition and inclusivity.

“The current debate surrounding transgender athletes is an important one, and I believe that thoughtful, evidence-based guidelines can ensure that the spirit of fairness and opportunity is preserved for all competitors. This isn’t about excluding transgender athletes – it is about protecting the rights of female athletes who have worked their entire lives to compete and deserve a fair opportunity.”

Tuberville encouraged Newsom “in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to advocate for and implement clear, transparent, and scientifically supported rules for these Games.

“The last thing the world wants to see in 2028 is a repeat of the Paris Olympics, where we witnessed a person with male chromosomes repeatedly punch a female athlete in the face in the women’s boxing competition,” Tuberville said.

“Women and girls around the world deserve to see the most elite female athletes thrive, compete and win. After all, what kind of a message are we communicating to our daughters if we encourage them to work hard and practice, but at the end of the day their rights to make a team or earn a medal could be stripped away and handed to a man?” the letter stated.

“This is a punch in the face to the thousands of feminists who fought so hard for the rights of women in America. Women make up 50% of this country – and it is our obligation to honor and protect them in the 2028 Games.”

Tuberville wrote to Newsom he looks forward “to working with you to accomplish these shared goals. Together, we can bring sanity back to women’s sports and showcase that in America, women have the same rights to equal, fair competition as men.”