NFL
By: Zachary Draves
The International Olympic Committee made a surprise announcement that has the potential to change the course of history for Trans inclusion in sports.
After a two-year consultation process with over 250+ athletes and stakeholders, the IOC announced new guidelines declaring that transgender athletes shouldn’t be prohibited from competing due to a supposed unfair advantage due to their gender identity.
A complete reversal from their 2015 guidelines which required that transgender athletes lowered their testosterone levels to a certain limit for a 12 month period before they could compete.
This new measure doesn’t even mention testosterone altogether as a basis for eligibility to compete and it is worth mentioning that the debate among the medical and scientific communities about whether or not testosterone actually contributes to advantages in athletics.
The guidelines that were released on Tuesday aren’t legally binding but instead place the responsibility on individual sports federations to uphold inclusion and non-discrimination policies.
In other words, this is not required it is rather encouraged.
In addition, these guidelines although intended for elite athletes, can trickle down to even recreational sports and are premised on the following expectations:
1. Inclusion
2. Prevention of Harm
3. Non-discrimination
4. Fairness
5. No presumption of Advantage
6. Evidence-based Approach
7. Primacy of Health and Bodily Autonomy
8. Stakeholder-Centered Approach
9. Right to Privacy
10. Periodic Reviews
Many in the LGBTQ+ community are heralding this move as a major step forward to allow for transgender, non-binary, and intersex athletes to be able to compete as they are without fear of restriction, stigmatization, and isolation.
One of the most notable voices for Trans inclusion in sports has been trans dual athlete Chris Moiser, who has been breaking barriers since 2015.
He sees these guidelines as progress for athletes’ rights as well as providing protections for athletes from dangerous practices.
“There is much to celebrate in the updated IOC Framework – namely that it centers human rights and the autonomy, health, and safety of all athletes” he said.
“It also makes clear that no athlete has an inherent advantage and moves away from eligibility criteria focused on testosterone levels, which caused harmful, abusive, and invasive physical examinations and sex testing for over five decades. “
He also sees more progress on the horizon.
“These are big steps forward and I expect to see continued progress as international federations and national governing bodies implement new rules and guidance based on this framework.”
This extraordinary act comes at a time with greater visibility of trans people in all aspects of society and culture including in sports with some notable moments coming this past Olympics in Tokyo.
Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand in Weightlifting, Quinn of Canada in Soccer, and Chelsea Wolfe of the US in BMX.
At the same time, we are seeing a palpable backlash in the form of anti-trans legislation being introduced and in some cases passed in the US that explicitly prohibit trans athletes from competing in sports.
A real case of the best of times and the worst of times.
But this move by the IOC has the potential to be part of a broader sea change where Trans, non-binary, and intersex athletes can compete in all levels of sports without apology or reserve.
Only time will tell but any bit of progress helps.
The guidelines can be found here https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-releases-framework-on-fairness-inclusion-and-non-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-gender-identity-and-sex-variations
