RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The state Board of Health voted Monday to move forward with a plan that would ban transgender women from playing on women’s sports teams.

It follows a similar move from the Virginia High School League.

The board will now start drafting a rule banning trans athletes. It’s an unusual step because the Board of Health does not usually deal with athletics.

However, in this case, 14 of 15 members voted unanimously in support.

That vote follows a petition from several collegiate swimmers - two from Virginia Tech and one from Roanoke College.

They argue they’ve been directly harmed by competing against transgender women.

Of the more than 2,300 people who commented on the petition, only 45% supported it.

Maria Reppas, Director of Communications, Virginia Department of

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