A Colorado high school wrestler made national headlines after choosing to forfeit two state tournament matches against female opponents, citing his religious and personal beliefs.Brendan Johnston, an 18-year-old senior from the Classical Academy in Colorado Springs, withdrew from his first-round match against Skyview High’s Jaslynn Gallegos and later from his consolation match against Valley High’s Angel Rios. His decisions effectively ended his high school wrestling career.

Johnston, a devout Christian, explained that wrestling against female athletes conflicted with his values. “It’s so physical, physically close. I don’t think that’s really appropriate with a young lady,” he told KDVR. “It’s also very aggressive, and I’m not really comfortable with that.”

He clarified that his choice was not about inequality but about respecting differences between men and women. He emphasized that acknowledging those differences did not mean seeing women as lesser, but rather as deserving of respect in different ways.

Johnston had never wrestled a female opponent since starting the sport in seventh grade. While wrestling is not officially sanctioned as a girls’ sport in Colorado, he said he didn’t want to disrespect the commitment of female wrestlers or engage in a match that made him uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, both Angel Rios and Jaslynn Gallegos went on to make history, finishing fourth and fifth—the first girls ever to place at the Colorado state wrestling tournament.

Gallegos, who began wrestling at age five, expressed understanding of Johnston’s stance. She said she viewed herself simply as a wrestler, not a “girl wrestler,” and respected his right to follow his beliefs.

The incident sparked national debate about sports, gender, and personal conviction—highlighting the ongoing challenge of balancing respect for individual faith with the pursuit of equality in athletics.