World Athletics announced Thursday its decision to exclude transgender athletes who have experienced male puberty from world ranking competitions.
The international governing body for athletics and other running-related athletic events said its decision would have no consequences for athletes at this time because there are no transgender athletes competing internationally.
«World Athletics conducted a consultation period with various stakeholders in the first two months of this year, including member federations, the Global Athletics Coaches Academy and Athletes Commission, the IOC, as well as representative human rights groups and transgender,» the organization said.
«It became apparent that there was little support within sport for the option first presented to stakeholders, which required transgender athletes to maintain their testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for 24 months to be eligible. eligible to compete internationally in the female category.
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Lord Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, delivers a keynote address during the European Athletics Young Leaders Forum on August 18, 2022 in Munich, Germany. (Simon Hofmann/Getty Images for European Athletics)
“Regarding the DSD regulations, World Athletics has more than 10 years of research and evidence of the physical advantages that these athletes bring to the female category.
«However, there are currently no transgender athletes competing internationally in track and field and, consequently, there is no track-specific evidence of the impact these athletes would have on the equity of women’s competition in track and field.
«In these circumstances, the Council decided to prioritize the fairness and integrity of women’s competition over inclusion.»
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said the rules would not last forever.
«We’re not going to say no forever,» he said, via the BBC.
World Athletics said further studies would be conducted to consider the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports.
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Sebastian Coe attends the Commonwealth Games on August 5, 2022 in Birmingham, England. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
«However, the Council agreed to establish a working group for 12 months to further consider the issue of transgender inclusion,» the organization said.
«This working group will include an independent chair, up to three members of the Council, two athletes from the Athlete Commission, one transgender athlete, three representatives from the member federations and representatives from the World Athletics Department of Science and Health.
«His mandate will be to consult specifically with transgender athletes to learn their views on competition in athletics; to review and/or commission additional investigations where there is currently limited research and to present recommendations to the Council.»
Coe added in the World Athletics statement that the decision would be guided by science.
«Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights among different groups, but we continue to believe that we must uphold equity for female athletes above all other considerations,» Coe said. «We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and the male advantage that will inevitably develop in the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the women’s category in track and field It’s essential». .»
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The European Championship at the Olympiapark on August 21, 2022 in Munich, Germany. (Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
For athletes considered DSD (differences in sexual development), World Athletics also issued guidelines.
The body said they had more than 10 years of studies to make their decision to involve the DSD athletes.
«For DSD athletes, the new regulations will require any relevant athlete to reduce their testosterone levels below a cutoff of 2.5 nmol/L for a minimum of 24 months to compete internationally in the women’s category in any event, not just events which were restricted (400m to one mile) under the previous regulations.
«The principle of restricted events has been removed from the regulations.
«Interim provisions will be introduced for those relevant athletes who are already competing in what were unrestricted events (distances less than 400m and greater than one mile, plus field events). These provisions include a requirement to suppress their testosterone levels for below 2.5 nmol/L for a minimum of six months, before they are eligible to compete again.
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«The six-month period is consistent with previous regulations, which required six months of testosterone suppression (below 5 nmol/L) for DSD athletes to compete in restricted events. The interim provisions do not apply to restricted events. previously restricted (400m to one mile) where two years of testosterone suppression will be required before the athlete in question is eligible to compete.»