Sports: World Athletics has prohibited transgender women from competing in elite female competitions if they have completed male puberty, the sport’s governing body announced on Thursday.
The council also voted to tighten restrictions on athletes with DSD, reducing the maximum amount of plasma testosterone for athletes to 2.5 nanomoles per litre from five.
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“It’s taking away opportunities from girls and women athletes. We’re not gonna take away that opportunity from these young girls.”
Who agrees with him? pic.twitter.com/0ztx3fH5Bl
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) March 23, 2023
At a press conference, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe stated that the decision to exclude transgender women was based on “the overarching need to protect the female category.”
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The governing body had previously proposed that transgender athletes compete in the female category if their testosterone levels remained below 2.5 nanomoles per litre for 24 months.
Transgender athletes should either compete against their biological sex or in their own new category. Their rights to compete, fairly, should be respected but not at the expense of destroying women’s rights.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 23, 2023
However, it was revealed on Thursday that there was little support for that proposal within the sport.
“We’re not going to say no forever,” Coe said, adding that WA would form a task force to study trans inclusion, chaired by a transgender athlete.
To compete internationally in any elite event in the female category, DSD athletes must reduce their testosterone levels below the new limit for a minimum of 24 months, according to WA.
The governing body announced interim measures on Thursday for athletes already competing outside of the restricted events, requiring them to reduce their testosterone levels to 2.5 nanomoles per litre for six months.
Several women would be unable to compete at the World Athletics Championships in August as a result of this.
Niyonsaba of Burundi turned to the 5,000m after being barred from the 800m, winning the Diamond League Final in 2021.
