The International Olympic Committee has announced that biologically male transgender athletes will be allowed to compete in female sports without lowering their testosterone under new guidelines.
Originally, under 2015 guidelines, athletes identifying as trans would have to reduce their natural testosterone levels before competing in women’s sports. However, now, the IOC has said sex testing of athletes is “invasive”, “disrespectful” and “potentially harmful.”
They add that no athlete should be banned from competing because of a perceived “unfair and disproportionate advantage” due to their sex.
“You don’t need to use testosterone [to decide who can compete] at all,” said IOC medical director Richard Budgett.
Reactions online were largely negative, with US Journalist Abigail Shrier slamming the announcement.
“We need to have a serious discussion about withdrawing our female athletes from the Olympics if this foolish, extreme, and unjust policy is allowed to stand,” she said.
“America has invested too much in the development of our female athletes to submit them to this.”
We need to have a serious discussion about withdrawing our female athletes from the Olympics if this foolish, extreme, and unjust policy is allowed to stand.
America has invested too much in the development of our female athletes to submit them to this.https://t.co/6zy98DnbY4
— Abigail Shrier (@AbigailShrier) November 17, 2021
Freelance journalist Laura Perrins called the move “absolute nonsense.”
“The advantages due to sex are real, not alleged,” she said.
“Absolute flight from reality.”
This is absolute nonsense, the advantages due to sex are real not ‘alleged.’ Absolute flight from reality. https://t.co/u6sHIal0Zj
— Laura Perrins (@LPerrins) November 17, 2021
NHS GP and media contributor Renee Hoenderkamp said the Olympics are “dead to me as a woman.”
@Olympics are dead to me as a woman. https://t.co/QRPgadQ44o
— Renee Hoenderkamp (@DrHoenderkamp) November 18, 2021
Loading ...