World Athletics’ regulations for transgender athletes risk human rights violations, human rights groups say

(CNN) Trans rights advocates have warned sports organizations that “blanket bans” on transgender women from competing in women’s categories risk “violating fundamental human rights principles.”

This follows World Athletics (WA) President Sebastian Coe’s announcement Thursday of new regulations for transgender female athletes, who on 31 WA said the exclusion would apply to “male-to-female transgender athletes.”

“Such policies risk violating international human rights principles of non-discrimination, which require that such policies begin in a place of inclusion unless exclusion can be justified proportionately to the risks identified,” said Anna Brown, CEO of Equality Australia, in a statement.

“World Athletics has failed to meet that standard.”

Meanwhile, retired Australian transgender athlete Ricki Coughlan said she was “disappointed” by what she felt was a “fundamentally discriminatory” decision.

“When leaders make choices that divide and exclude us, we see that reflected in the community,” Coughlan wrote on Twitter.

“The voices of hate are amplified on one side and those of fear on the other. Our communities are being divided and we are missing the opportunity to achieve what we can only achieve by coming together and each of us working in a spirit where we can all strive to reach our full potential.”

Coe said the decision was made to “preserve fairness to female athletes above all other considerations”.

He explained that WA – the global governing body for athletics – will set up a working group to assess the issue of transgender inclusion over the next 12 months.

“We’re not saying no forever,” Coe said.

In a statement to CNN on Friday, WA said, “Science shows that anyone who has progressed through male puberty retains male anatomical differences that provide an athletic advantage.

“The World Athletics Council was unwilling to compromise the integrity of the female category without evidence that these male advantages could be improved.

“We currently have no transgender athletes in elite international competition; therefore, it is time for more comprehensive consultation on the subject. We hope that all transgender athletes planning to enter our sport at an elite level will come forward and contribute to our new working group.”

Controversial Science

In recent years, some opponents of trans women’s and trans girls’ participation in sport have made the issue a political flashpoint. In January, a small group of protesters gathered outside the NCAA convention in San Antonio to protest the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s college sports.

Proponents of banning transgender women from women’s sport have argued that transgender women have a physical advantage over cisgender women in sport.

But mainstream science does not support this conclusion. A 2017 report in the journal Sports Medicine reviewing several related studies found that “no direct or consistent research” on trans people has a sporting advantage over their cisgender peers, and critics say the bans the Increase discrimination against trans people.

Debate continues in the scientific community as to whether androgenic hormones such as testosterone serve as useful markers of athletic advantage.

A World Athletics document provided to CNN earlier this year says that after 12 months of gender-affirming hormone therapy, trans women “retain an advantage in muscle mass, volume and strength over cis women,” while acknowledging that there is “limited experimental data available.” ” gives. to this topic.

The new policy follows similar regulations introduced by swimming association World Aquatics last year, stating that male-to-female transgender athletes are only eligible to compete in the women’s categories of World Aquatics competitions if they are under the age of 12 or earlier they reach level two on the Puberty Tanner Scale.

Some athletes welcomed World Athletics’ decision, including British runner Emily Diamond, who called it “a big step for fairness and protection of the female category”.

Diamond wrote on Twitter, adding, “Hopefully this will now be the norm at all levels, not just elite ranking events.”

Save Women’s Sport Australasia, a group campaigning against transgender athletes in women’s sport, also welcomed WA’s move.

“It’s not a ban, it’s just to protect the female category from female competitors and it was an excellent decision,” spokeswoman Ro Edge told Reuters.

“So it’s really reassuring to hear (WA) President Seb Coe come out and say they need to uphold the fairness of female participation before any other consideration.”

Coe said the decision was made after consultation with groups including World Athletics affiliates, the Global Athletics Coaches Academy and the Athletes Commission and IOC, as well as representative transgender and human rights groups.

CNN’s David Close, Jacob Lev and Ben Morse contributed coverage.