March 17, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Penn Quakers swimmer Lia Thomas holds the trophy after finishing first in the 500 freestyles at the NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships at Georgia Tech. Brett Davis-USA Sports TODAY
MELBOURNE – FINA’s decision to restrict transgender athletes from participating in elite women’s swimming provides a blueprint for other sports to follow to balance equity and integration, said a top health official at the global regulator.
FINA made its decision on Sunday after members heard reports from a transgender task force that included leading figures in health, law and sports.
David Gerrard, Vice Chairman of FINA’s Sports Medicine Committee, says this is the “best outcome” for the sport and its athletes, and is supported by a robust process.
“In my mind, FINA’s approach to this is brilliant, it’s very balanced, it’s informed,” Gerrard, a former New Zealand Olympic swimmer, told Reuters on Monday.
“It recognizes athletes’ voices, scientific evidence, objective and somewhat more subjective, human rights (and) legal issues that have been fiercely debated by the attorneys present.
“I hope that model is something other sports consider.
Transgender inclusion advocates argue that there isn’t enough research on the effects of transitions on physical performance and that elite athletes are often the physical outliers in every arena. fit.
Equality Australia has called on FINA to put its new “trans exclusion policy” under review and said the decision would “effectively exclude most transgender women from competing at the elite level”. in a sport they love.”
‘Important point’
In FINA’s updated policy, transgender athletes from male to female are only eligible to compete if “they can affirm… that they have not undergone any male puberty other than male puberty. Tanner stage 2 (puberty) or before age 12, whichever is later”.
Gerrard said FINA had plenty of evidence to back up its decision, citing experts at Sunday’s convention who pointed out that 14-year-old male swimmers had posted will win the Olympic gold medal in the women’s events.
“The key point here is the effect of puberty on males,” he said.
“I respectfully ask the transgender community to look at the research and clear data on the advantages young men have over adult women in sports.”
Transgender rights have become a major theme as sport seeks to balance inclusion with equity.
The debate heated up after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women’s 500-yard freestyle early on. this year.
Other sports have established policies restricting transgender athletes from participating in elite women’s competitions, including international rugby, cycling and football under Australian Law.
However, the International Olympic Committee said in November that no athlete had been disqualified from the competition because it perceived an unfair advantage, leaving it up to the sports federations to decide.
“It’s an issue that we will have to face and the debate will continue,” Gerrard said.
“But when it comes to fairness and when it comes to safety, you have to draw a line in the sand.”
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