Transgender women have been barred from competing in international athletics events in the female category.
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World Athletics made the decision today in order to “prioritise fairness and the integrity of the female competition before inclusion.”
The governing body’s president, Seb Coe, also confirmed that athletes from Russia and Belarus would continue to be barred from competition, including the Olympics, due to the Ukraine conflict.
This puts World Athletics at odds with the International Olympic Committee, which is looking into a way for Russians and Belarusians to compete as “neutrals” in Paris in 2024.
Lord Coe said at a press conference in Monaco about the new transgender participation rules, “The World Athletics Council has taken decisive action to protect the female category in our sport.”
‘The council has agreed to exclude male-to-female transgender athletes who have completed male puberty from female world ranking competitions beginning March 31st of this year.
‘The council’s decision is primarily based on principle, and that is the overarching need to protect the female category. This is what our sport is all about.’
Previously, transgender women could compete in the female category if their testosterone levels were less than five nanomoles per litre over a year.
World Athletics announced in January that they wanted to tighten their policy, but that their “preferred option” was only to lower testosterone levels to 2.5 nmol/L and extend the transition period to two years.
This sparked outrage among female athletes and women’s rights activists, who demanded a blanket ban on transgender athletes competing against other women.
They got their wish yesterday, thanks to a vote of World Athletics council members, despite the governing body admitting there was ‘little support’ for their original stance during a consultation period.
‘The majority of those consulted stated that transgender athletes should not compete in the female category,’ Coe said. Many people believe that there is insufficient evidence to prove that transwomen have an advantage over biological women.
‘Where the science is insufficient to justify continuing testosterone suppression for transgender athletes, the council agreed it must be guided by our overarching principle, which is to protect the female category,’ the council wrote.
‘It’s possible,’ Coe said when asked if he expected a legal challenge. If that is the case, we will vigorously defend our position, as we have done in the past. We will always do what we believe is best for our sport.’
World Athletics’ decision follows that of FINA, the world governing body of swimming, which announced a ban on transgender athletes competing in elite women’s races last summer.
