The world’s leading governing body for swimming, Fina, has voted to ban transgender women from elite women’s competitions if they have experienced any part of male puberty, in a seismic decision that sets it apart from most Olympic sports.
The decision, taken by 71% of the votes of 152 national federations at the World Championships in Budapest, followed a report by a scientific group of Fina that found that trans women retained a significant advantage over cisgender swimmers even after lowering your testosterone levels through medication. .
In a new 34-page policy paper, Fina said male-to-female transgender athletes could now compete in the female category only “as long as they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond stage 2. Tanner “. [which marks the start of physical development]or before the age of 12, whichever is later ”.
Commenting on the policy, Fina president Husain al-Musallam said: “We need to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also need to protect competitive equity in our events, especially the women’s category in competitions. of the Fine “.
Fina has pledged to set up a working group to establish an “open” category for trans women at some events as part of her new policy.
“Fina will always welcome all athletes,” Musallam added. “Creating an open category will mean that everyone has the opportunity to compete at an elite level. This has not been done before, so Fina will have to lead the way. “
Voting makes swimming the only Olympic governing body, after World Rugby in 2020, to introduce a scientific ban. Most other sports have used testosterone limits as a basis for allowing trans women to compete in the female category, a stance that has promoted inclusion but has been criticized for injustice.
There has been widespread discomfort in the sport after Lia Thomas, who had been a moderate college swimmer as a male competitor, was able to win an NCAA national college degree in the U.S. this year. Others have argued that Thomas is a pioneer whose success and identity should be celebrated, not restricted. However, this vote means that Thomas will no longer be able to compete in the women’s category at the Paris Olympics as planned.
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Former British Sharron Davies welcomed the news, saying on Twitter: “I can’t tell you how proud I am of my sport, Fina and president of Fina to do science, ask athletes / coaches and defend the “Fair sport for females. Swimming will always welcome everyone, no matter how you identify, but fairness is the cornerstone of sport.”
Karen Pickering, another former swimmer, said: “I was at the Fina congress for the presentation, discussion and voting and I can endorse the care and empathy shown for the athletes who will now not be able to compete in the category. “ID can be aligned with … but competitive equity with the category of women must be protected.”