World Athletics Council bans transgender women from female events
The World Athletics Council has announced that transgender women who have gone through male puberty will not be allowed to compete in the female category at international events. The decision was made on the basis of “the overarching need to protect the female category”, according to the president of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe. The council also voted to reduce the maximum amount of blood testosterone permitted for athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) such as Caster Semenya, from five nanomoles per litre to 2.5.
The new rules will take effect from 31 March 2023 and will apply to all track and field events. Coe said that the decision was not final and that a working group would be set up to conduct further research and consultation on the issue of transgender inclusion1. The working group will include a transgender athlete, representatives of member federations, athletes’ commission, health and science department, and an independent chair.
Transgender cricketer set to play in women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers
Despite the ban imposed by World Athletics, transgender women will still be able to play international cricket, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has different eligibility criteria for transgender athletes. Danielle McGahey, a transgender woman from Ireland, is set to make history as the first openly trans cricketer to play in the women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe next month.
McGahey, who transitioned in 2019, said she was “over the moon” to be selected for the Ireland squad and that she had received support from her teammates and the cricket community. She also said she hoped to inspire other transgender people to pursue their dreams.
The ICC’s player eligibility regulations state that trans women wishing to play women’s international cricket must demonstrate that “the concentration of testosterone in her serum has been less than 5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least 12 months, and that she is ready, willing and able to continue to keep it below that level for so long as she continues to compete”.
Other sports follow suit in restricting transgender women
Athletics is not the only sport that has imposed restrictions on transgender women competing in the female category. In 2020, World Rugby became the first international governing body to ban transgender women from elite women’s rugby, citing “significant injury risk”. The Rugby Football League and World Swimming followed suit last year, also citing safety and fairness concerns.
However, some sports have adopted more inclusive policies, such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which allows trans women to compete in the female category if they maintain their testosterone levels below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to competition. The IOC is expected to review its guidelines after the Tokyo Olympics, which saw the participation of the first openly trans athletes, Laurel Hubbard and Quinn.
The issue of transgender inclusion in sports remains controversial and divisive, as different stakeholders have different views on the balance between fairness, safety, and human rights. As more evidence and research emerge, the debate is likely to continue and evolve in the coming years.
