Triathlon has become the first sport in the UK to ban transgender athletes from competing in the women’s category at the elite and grassroots level after deciding that “fairness of competition is paramount”.
Under the new British triathlon policy, which will start on January 1, 2023, transgender athletes over the age of 12 will have to compete in an “open category” for “all people, including men, transgender and those non-binaries who had males at birth year ”.
A second “female category” will only apply “to those who are female at birth.” The policy will apply to any timed or prize race.
The policy will also apply internationally, and the British triathlon confirms that “only athletes who are female at birth will be eligible to represent Britain, England, Scotland or Wales, in the women’s competition.”
The British triathlon is committed to maintaining inclusive sport for all, but the governing body argued that the scientific evidence showing that transgender athletes have retained advantages shows that it had to act to protect the female category. .
“Male-born athletes have an advantage over female-born athletes and their advantage is important in swimming, cycling and running,” said Andy Salmon, executive director of British Triathlon. “And we concluded that the benefits of physiology remain after testosterone suppression.”
Salmon also noted that triathlon has long been a strong advocate for gender equity, with men and women competing for the same awards on the same course. “Our sport was founded relatively in the late seventies. And with gender equity at the center, that’s something we’re incredibly proud of and, in fact, we value incredibly, ”he added.“ And that’s one of the reasons why justice in our sport it is so important to us.
“Then, when there is competitive activity, the justice of the competition is paramount, and it should be applied at all levels of the sport.”
To date, most transgender policies for sport have focused solely on elite competition, and the governing bodies of the International Swimming, Cycling and Rugby League have come up with different plans for the international sport in recent weeks.
Still, Salmon said it was important for British triathlon that the same rules apply at all levels. “Doing a triathlon requires commitment,” he said. “So who are we as a governing body to tell someone who isn’t particularly fast or talented, that when he competes in a triathlon, he doesn’t deserve to have fair competition?”
The British triathlon said it had made its innovative decision after a poll of more than 3,000 members, 80% of whom favored a protected female category, along with talks with elite, grassroots and transgender athletes and a review. of the latest science.
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In its policy paper, British Triathlon says that science “illustrates the physiological, biological and subsequent benefits of athletic performance that adult men enjoy over adult women, due to the effects of testosterone during male puberty, is unequivocal “.
“Furthermore, the scientific community generally agrees that most of the physiological / biological benefits of male puberty are maintained. [either wholly or partially] for trans women after the transition, ”the document adds.
British Triathlon said it had received legal advice and was confident its new policy was “robust” and protected by the Equality Act of 2010. It also urged people to discuss the policy in a respectful manner.
“British Triathlon wants to make it clear that it does not tolerate any kind of transphobic behavior, harassment, bullying or hate speech,” he said. “Anyone who comments on our policy should do so with empathy and consideration.”