Geneva: World Triathlon’s board has ruled that transgender women can continue competing in the female category, though they will be required to show that their testosterone concentration has been continuously under 2.5 nanomoles per litre for at least two years.
The policy, which was drawn up after consulting stakeholders including athletes, medical professionals and legal experts, was approved on Wednesday by a majority of the body’s executive board and will come into force in 30 days’ time.
Trans athletes will be required to have had a low concentration of testosterone for two years – rather than one year as is the case at the moment – and will have to wait four years since last taking part ‘in any sporting competition’ as a male in order to compete in the female category in elite or age-group triathlon competitions.
World Triathlon president Marisol Casado, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said that the policy ‘shows that we are prioritising the fairness principle but showing inclusiveness.’
She added that the policy was ‘fully aligned’ with the IOC’s recommendation and similar to what other international federations had done in recent months.
The aquatics body FINA and the International Rugby League recently decided to exclude trans athletes from women’s events, while World Athletics and Fifa are currently reviewing their guidelines.
In July, British Triathlon announced that transgender athletes would be banned from competing in female categories from the start of next year, and would instead be allowed to compete in an open category to include male, transgender and non-binary athletes.—dpa
