This week, the World Triathlon Executive Board approved its Transgender Policy. The new policy will allow biological male athletes who identify as “transgender” to compete in the women’s category.
“To compete in the female category in an Elite or Age-Group triathlon competition, a Transgender athlete must demonstrate that the concentration of testosterone in the athlete’s serum has been less than 2.5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least 24 months. Also, at least 48 months must have elapsed since the Transgender athlete has competed as a male in any sporting competition,” the policy reads.
A news release from World Triathlon said that the policy was approved after a period of consultation with several committees and “multiple experts in the field and the transgender community.”
World Triathlon President Marisol Casado said that “we have been studying this matter for over a year” and that “the policy we have just approved shows that we are prioritizing the fairness principle but showing inclusiveness.”
Last month, British Triathlon announced that transgender athletes at the elite and grassroots levels would participate in an “open” category.
Casado added that the board will “monitor the situation and the evolution of this policy” and that they will review and discuss it “as much as necessary.”
“This subject is still evolving and we need to be flexible,” she said, adding that it is “fully aligned” wit the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations on transgender athletes.
In November, IOC issued a new framework surrounding transgender athletes “to promote a safe and welcoming environment for everyone involved in elite-level competition, consistent with the principles enshrined in the Olympic Charter.”
World Triathlon’s policy goes against recent decisions from the governing bodies of other sports. Townhall covered in June how the International Rugby League issued a statement banning biological male “transgender” athletes from playing in women’s international matches. The statement added that the IRL would work on a “transwoman inclusion policy” in the coming year.
In addition, FINA, the international governing body for swimming, announced its decision to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s elite events. The new policy would require transgender swimmer to have completed their transition by 12 years old to compete in women’s competitions and maintain their circulating testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L.
“This is not saying that people are encouraged to transition by the age of 12. It’s what the scientists are saying, that if you transition after the start of puberty, you have an advantage, which is unfair,” James Pierce, the spokesperson for the FINA president said.
The issue of biological male transgender athletes participating in women’s sports was pushed to the forefront after Will “Lia” Thomas competed on the women’s swim team at University of Pennsylvania this past season. Thomas previously competed on the men’s team for three seasons. Thomas made headlines for breaking records competing against women and taking home an NCAA Division I title at the NCAA championships in March.
Several of Thomas’ teammates spoke out about the situation on the condition of anonymity. One female UPenn swimmer told The Washington Examiner that Thomas “compares herself to Jackie Robinson” and “mocks” competing on the women’s team, as Townhall covered. In addition, a teammate told Daily Mail that Thomas makes the women’s locker room uncomfortable, which Matt covered.
“It’s definitely awkward because Lia still has male body parts and is still attracted to women,” the swimmer told Daily Mail. “But we were basically told that we could not ostracize Lia by not having her in the locker room and that there’s nothing we can do about it, that we basically have to roll over and accept it, or we cannot use our own locker room.”
To date, 18 states have enacted measures to require athletes to participate in sports on a team that aligns with their biological sex rather than their “gender identity.”