Earlier in the calendar year, the Athletic Commission of Oklahoma State dispensed a “caution” to AEW, subsequent to the match between Nyla Rose and Alejandra Lion, which transpired during December 2023’s AEW/ROH TV tapings.
Brandon Thurston, affiliated with Wrestlenomics, recently elicited several documents concerning the case through a public records petition. One particular document discloses that the erstwhile OSAC Administrator, Jim Miller, acquainted AEW SVP Chris Harrington with the fact that the commission had been deliberating potential alterations to the existing rule.
Miller had, in an email correspondence, disclosed that the Rose vs. Lion match had induced considerable tumult and lambasted the commission’s rule which prohibited matches to occur “between males and females”. Here, males and females were classified based on the chromosome set they were born with – males with XY and females with XX chromosomes. The email mentioned,
“Just to inform you, the Commission is engrossed in discussions that may lead to the alteration of this rule. That said, if the Commission arrives at a consensus to change the rule, the legislative route needs to be pursued for rule-making. If successful, the newly amended rule wouldn’t come into effect until July of 2024.”
Notably, Miller bid adieu to his role at OSAC in March.
As Miller’s successor, Diana Fletcher now helms the role of OSAC Administrator. Responding to queries about the several possible rule amendments, she stated,
“Diana Fletcher prefers not to weigh in about the matters which continue to persist, relating to the AEW event from December 2023 or the specific regulations corresponding to intergender exhibitions or matches. Any amendments to rules falling under the Commission’s jurisdiction must be executed in accordance with the timeline and actions that are stipulated by the Oklahoma Administrative Procedures Act and the Oklahoma Office of Administrative Rules Regulations on Rule-making. A schedule for the public meeting set for July 10, 2024, will be available for the public to review, abiding by the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, which will specify business items that will be discussed and analyzed by the Commission during that meeting.”