A timely debate which should have been settled long before today. As an athlete and coach, I will always advocate for safe sport. As a woman, I want women to be protected in all sports and I expect sport governance to do the same. We have seen that this does not happen.
Here is an historical summary of testing methods used in sport by Coach Linda Blade.
Do your own research into controversies and any historical results which question who is protected by the rules.
This ‘debate’ is not about making friends. It is about facts. What is important to your athletic career? Do not try to figure out what is best for everyone or anyone else. Figure out your personal needs. And stay safe.
This is the most complete list I have seen so far, courtesy of Sharron Davies MBE @sharrond62 –> “Just a reminder of dsd’s. Which still affect either males or females. No human can change sex. It is binary. There are accurate tests to show which sex humans are & sex is not a spectrum.” 11:47 AM · Aug 10, 2024
If you want to check your own sports federation for how they protect women, then check their websites for written rules. You can use the contact form to send me links for other sports which I will include below.
World Archery –> https://rulebook.worldarchery.sport/PDF/Official/2024-01-15/EN-Book1.pdf
2.3 Medical Provisions
(See Book 6-Anti-Doping Rules in Book 6.)
2.3.1 Athletes competing in or preparing for Championships, Games, International and National Tournaments recognised
or controlled by World Archery shall agree to submit to a duly authorised doping control or any other medical test or
examination decided by World Archery.
2.3.1.1 In the exceptional event that the gender of a competing athlete is questioned, the Medical & Sport Science Committee or
the IOC shall have the authority to take all appropriate measures for the determination of the gender of an athlete. The
inquiry and proceedings shall be kept confidential. However in the case where the gender challenge is upheld, the
appropriate parties shall be informed of the result.
2.3.2 The World Archery medical provisions are intended to safeguard the health of the athlete, and to promote the ethical
concepts as foreseen by fair play, the Olympic spirit and medical practice.
2.3.2.1 World Archery adopts the Olympic Movement Medical Code, as it may be amended from time to time. The Medical &
Sport Science Committee shall follow and implement the principles laid down in such Code as suitable to World Archery
purposes. Updated version of the Olympic Movement Medical Code is available on http://www.olympic.org/medical-
commission
2.3.2.2 World Archery policy regarding the participation in Events of individuals who have undergone sex reassignment is to
comply with the applicable IOC rules and interpretations as may exist from time to time.
World Aquatics FINA –> https://resources.fina.org/fina/document/2023/03/27/dbc3381c-91e9-4ea4-a743-84c8b06debef/Policy-on-Eligibility-for-the-Men-s-and-Women-s-Competiition-Categrories-Version-on-2023.03.24.pdf
2. Certification
a. All athletes must certify their chromosomal sex with their Member Federation in order to be eligible for World Aquatics competitions. Failure to do so, or provision of a false certification, will render the athlete ineligible.
b. Member Federations must confirm their athletes’ certifications of chromosomal sex when registering their athletes to compete in World
Aquatics competitions.
c. World Aquatics reserves the right to include a chromosomal sex screen in its anti-doping protocol to confirm such certification.
World Triathlon –> https://www.triathlon.org/uploads/docs/TRI_Gender_Eligibility_Guidelines.pdf
1.2 Those who transition from AMAB to Female (Transgender Female) are eligible to compete in the Female category under the following conditions:
(a) The athlete must provide a written and signed declaration that her gender identity is Female and she wishes to participate in the female category of competition.
(b) The athlete must demonstrate that the concentration of testosterone in her serum has been less than 2.5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least 24 months, considering this a sufficient length of time to minimize any advantage in women’s competition. The athlete should send the relevant medical certificates as specified in the TRI Eligibility Regulations for Transgender Athletes to the Medical Manager(s) of World Triathlon, who will review the information and provide the authorisation to enter any competition if the requirement is fulfilled and after referring to the Medical Expert Panel for the assessment. The decision of the Medical Manager and the Medical Expert Panel would be appealable to the World Triathlon Tribunal.
(c) The athlete must provide a written and signed declaration that she has not competed within the last 4 years in the male category of an official competition in Triathlon or its related Multisport or one of our allied sports of swimming, cycling, athletics or cross-country skiing.
(d) The athlete must keep her serum testosterone concentration below 2.5 nmol/L for so long as she continues to compete in the Female category of competition.
(e) Compliance with these conditions may be monitored by testing as set-out in paragraph 3. below. In the event of non-compliance, the athlete’s eligibility for Female competition will be suspended until such time as she demonstrates that she has maintained her serum testosterone concentration below 2.5 nmol/L for a new continuous period of at least 24 months.
1.3 For these purposes, all measurements of serum testosterone levels must be conducted by means of liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.
1.4 Once a transgender athlete has satisfied the relevant eligibility requirements and has started participating in international events in the category of competition consistent with his/her gender identity, he/she may not then switch back to participating in the other category in International Events unless and until (a) at least two years have passed since the last International Event in which he/she participated in the category of competition consistent with the athlete’s gender identity and (b) he/she satisfies all of the conditions for eligibility to compete in the other category.
Kelea Quinn 