World Athletics has banned transgender women from competing in the women’s category at international events.
Lord Coe, president of the governing body, said any transgender athlete who has gone through male puberty will not be allowed to compete in women’s world-class events from March 31.
A working group will be established to further research transgender eligibility guidelines.
“We’re not saying forever,” he said.
Under previous rules, World Athletics required transgender women to reduce their blood testosterone levels to a maximum of 5nmol/L, and to maintain this level for a 12-month period before competing in the women’s category. Stay under.
Lord Coe added that the decision was “guided by the important principle which protects the category of women”.
He said that currently there are no transgender players competing at the international level in the sport.
Lord Coe said: “Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to believe that we must uphold fairness for women athletes above all else. Should be kept.”
“We will be guided in this by the science of physical performance and male advantage, which will inevitably develop in the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will revise our position, but we believe that The integrity of the women’s category in athletics is paramount.”
The council agreed to establish a working group for 12 months to “further consider the issue of transgender inclusion.”
An independent chair will lead the group, which will also include three members of the council, two athletes from the Athletes’ Commission, one transgender athlete, three representatives from World Athletics’ member federations and representatives from the World Athletics Health and Science Department. will
It will consult specifically with transgender athletes, as well as review research and commission and make recommendations to the council.
DSD rules also changed
The World Athletics Council also voted to lower blood testosterone levels for athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD), such as South Africa’s Caster Semenya.
DSD is a group of rare conditions whereby a person’s hormones, genes and/or reproductive organs may be a mixture of male and female characteristics. Some of those affected prefer the term “intersex”.
DSD athletes must reduce their blood testosterone levels to less than 2.5 nanomoles per litre, which is less than five, and for two years to compete internationally in the women’s category in any track and field event. Should stay below the limit.
Under previous regulations, DSD athletes were restricted to events from 400m to one mile.
Transitional provisions will be introduced for DSD athletes competing in previously unrestricted events, requiring them to reduce their testosterone levels below 2.5nmol/L for at least six months before being allowed to compete again. need of
Coe said it will affect 13 DSD athletes, seven (55%) of whom compete in races over a mile, six (45%) in races under 400m.
He added that none of the 13 will now be able to compete at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August, but will be eligible for future events, including the Paris 2024 Olympics, “if they keep their testosterone up.” maintained at the desired level”.
Semenya, who has denied taking testosterone-reducing drugs, won 800m Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016 but has not competed in the event since 2019, when World Athletics introduced previous bans.
‘Little support’ for previous preference – World Athletics
As recently as January, World Athletics said its “preferred option” was to allow transgender women to compete in the women’s category but tighten eligibility rules, yet testosterone range is being used as the basis for inclusion.
It proposed that transgender women would have to lower their blood testosterone levels below 2.5nmol/L for two years, bringing it in line with changes made last year by cycling’s world governing body, the UCI. Will be.
However, World Athletics said there was “little support” for the option when it was presented to stakeholders, including member federations, athletes, coaches, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as well as representatives of transgender and humanitarian organizations. Rights groups were also involved.
Many argue that transgender women should not participate in women’s sports because they can retain any advantages – but others argue that sports should be more inclusive.
The balance of inclusion in women’s sports is at the heart of the debate, the fairness and safety of sports — essentially, whether transgender women can compete in women’s categories without an unfair advantage.
The IOC’s framework on transgender athletes – released in November 2021 – states that there should be no presumption that a transgender athlete automatically has an unfair advantage in women’s sports events, and that individual Federations are responsible for determining eligibility criteria in their sport.
In February, UK Athletics said it wanted legislation changed to ensure the women’s category is legally reserved for competitors who are registered female at birth.
The governing body said all transgender athletes should be allowed to compete alongside men in open categories to “ensure fairness” in competition with women.
What are the rules in other sports?
In June 2022, Lord Coe welcomed a move by FINA – swimming’s world governing body – to bar transgender athletes from competing in elite female races if they have undergone any part of the male puberty process. , insisting that “justice is out of the question”.
FINA’s decision came after a report by a task force of leading figures from the worlds of medicine, law and sports said that going through male puberty means transgender women retain a “relative performance advantage over biological women”. remains, even after medication to lower testosterone.
FINA also aimed to establish an ‘open’ category in competitions, for swimmers whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.
In 2022, British Triathlon became the first British sporting body to establish a new ‘open’ category in which transgender athletes can compete.
Rugby Football League and the Rugby Football Union also banned transgender women from competing in female-only forms of their sport.
World Rugby then became the first international sports federation to say that transgender women cannot compete at the elite and international level of the women’s game in 2020.
Some critics have said that these laws are discriminatory.
Olympic diving champion Tom Daley said he was “furious” at FINA’s decision to bar transgender athletes from competing in elite women’s events, saying: “Anyone who is asked They can’t compete or do something they love. Yeah, it’s not on.”
