World swimming body bans transgender athletes from women's competitions

FINA, the governing body for world swimming has voted to ban transgenders from elite women's competitions during its Extraordinary General Congress on Sunday. The body is now working on an 'Open competition category' for them as a part of their new 'gender inclusion policy'

71.5% of members of the organisation voted in favour of the new policy that will now restrict athletes transitioned after the age of 12 to compete in women's events.

The International Swimming Federation or FINA in its statement said that the creation of an open category will mean that everybody has the opportunity to compete at the elite level. The decision was taken after a group comprising of medical, legal, and sports figures presented a report on the same.

The developments came after Lia Thomas, made history in the United States. Thomas became the first transwoman to win an NCAA swimming championship (500m freestyle) in March, this year and has smashed many records. Thomas was earlier swimming in the men's team for three seasons before starting hormone replacement therapy in 2019 and made a successful transition to the women's arena.

As per the new 24-page policy, an athlete is eligible to participate in a women's event if they have experienced any part of male puberty before the age of 12. While currently there are no transgender women athletes participating in elite swimming competitions, these new policies will open the door for those who have never experienced male puberty (androgen insensitivity) and those females who have had suppressed male puberty before the age of 12.

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