FINA bars transgender swimmers from women’s elite events
Swimming’s world governing body FINA voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women’s competitions and create a working group to establish an “open” category for them in some events as part of its new policy.
“I do not want any athlete to be told they cannot compete at the highest level,” Husain Al-musallam, president of governing body FINA, told an extraordinary congress of his organisation.
“I will set up a working group to set up an open category at our meets. We will be the first federation to do that.”
The decision was made during FINA’S extraordinary general congress on the sidelines of the world championships in Budapest after members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising leading medical, legal and sports figures.
The new policy will require transgender competitors to have completed their transition by the age of 12 in order to be able to compete in women’s competitions.
Brent Nowicki, FINA’S CEO, said the organisation was determined to maintain separate men’s and women’s competition.
He added that FINA “recognises that certain individuals may not be able to compete in the category that best aligns with their legal gender alignment or gender identity.”
Under the rules, he said, male competition would be open to all. But “male-to-female transgender athletes and intersex athletes can only compete as female athletes in FINA competition, or set a world record, if they can prove they have not experienced any element of male puberty.”