The decision, decided by 71% of the votes of 152 national federations at the World Championships in Budapest, was followed by a report by a Fina Scientific Committee which found that trans women retained a significant advantage over cisgender swimmers even after reducing their levels. . . In a new 34-page policy paper, Fina said transgender male-to-female athletes could now compete only in the women’s category “provided they have not experienced any part of male adolescence beyond Tanner Stage 2 [which marks the start of physical development]or before the age of 12, whichever is later “. Commenting on the policy, Fina President Husain al-Musallam said: “We must protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we must also protect competitive justice in our competitions, especially in the women’s category at Fina Games.” Fina has promised to set up a working group to create an “open” category for trans women at certain events as part of its new policy. “Fina will always welcome every athlete,” Musallam added. “Creating an open category will mean that everyone has the opportunity to compete at the elite level. “This has not happened in the past, so Fina should lead.” The vote makes swimming only the second governing body of the Olympic Games, after World Rugby 2020, which introduces a ban for scientific reasons. Most other sports have used testosterone limits as a basis for allowing trans women to compete in the women’s category, a stance that has promoted inclusion but has been criticized for injustice. There has been widespread concern in the sport since Lia Thomas, who was a mediocre college swimmer as an athlete, managed to win a national NCAA college title in the US this year. Others have argued that Thomas is a pioneer whose success and identity should be celebrated, not limited. However, this vote means that Thomas will no longer be able to compete in the women’s category at the Paris Olympics as planned. Subscribe to The Recap, the weekly email with authors’ choices. Former British swimmer Sharron Davies welcomed the news, saying on Twitter: “I can not tell you how proud I am of my sport, Fina president and Fina doing science, asking athletes / coaches and defending the fair sport for females. “Swimming will always welcome everyone, no matter how you identify with them, but justice is the cornerstone of sport.” Karen Pickering, another former swimmer, said: “I was at the Fina conference for the presentation, the discussion and the voting and I can guarantee the care and empathy shown to all the athletes who will not be able to compete in the class right now. of their gender. “Identity can be aligned with… but competitive justice in the category of women must be protected.”
