Federation Internationale de Natation (International Swimming Federation), FINA has announced that male-to-female transgender athletes who transitioned after beginning male puberty are now prohibited from competing in women’s events.
This new policy has not augured well with the LGBTQ community, particularly Athlete Ally, who calls this policy discriminatory. “FINA’s new eligibility criteria for transgender athletes and athletes with intersex variations is deeply discriminatory, harmful, unscientific and not in line with the 2021 International Olympic Committee framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations,” Anne Lieberman, Director of Policy and Programs at Athlete Ally, said in a statement. “The eligibility criteria for the women’s category as it is laid out in the policy police the bodies of all women, and will not be enforceable without seriously violating the privacy and human rights of any athlete looking to compete in the women’s category.”
Although the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has provided advice calling for evidence to prove if a performance advantage exists, the IOC believes that each sport’s governing body should create policies on its own framework.
This new policy was passed with 71.5 percent approval by FINA member federations. FINA plans to launch an “open” category for athletes to compete regardless of their sex, gender identity or legal gender. Policy on Eligibility for the Men’s And Women’s Competition Categories.
