FINA Adopts New Policy for Transgender Swimmers
Summary from the AllSides News Team
FINA, the governing body for international swimming, voted on Sunday to restrict the participation of most transgender athletes in elite women's swimming competitions.
The new "gender inclusion policy," which was approved by 71% of FINA's 152 members, will only permit swimmers who completed their before the age of 12 in order to be eligible for women’s events. The swimming organization also passed a proposal to establish an "open competition policy" for transgender athletes that don't meet the eligibility criteria for men’s or women’s categories. FINA described the policy, which will go into full effect on June 20, as "only a first step towards full inclusion" for transgender swimmers.
The ongoing debate that's dominated the swimming world stemmed from the controversial success of University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, which had many people questioning whether transgender athletes help advance women's sports or create unfair competition.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Center
Fina bars transgender swimmers from women's elite events if they went through male pubertyFina, swimming's world governing body, has voted to stop transgender athletes from competing in women's elite races if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty.
Fina will also aim to establish an 'open' category at competitions for swimmers whose gender identity is different than their birth sex.
The new policy, which was passed with 71% of the vote from 152 Fina members, was described as "only a first step towards full inclusion" for transgender athletes.
The 34-page policy document says that male-to-female transgender athletes are...
From the Right
FINA approves 'gender inclusion policy' for transgender swimmersFINA, the governing body for international swimming, approved new policies for transgender swimmers which will go into effect on Monday.
The "gender inclusion policy" will only permit swimmers who transitioned before the age of 12 to compete in women’s events. FINA members voted 71.5% in favor of the new policies.
There was also a proposal for a new "open competition policy." The organization said it was setting up "a new working group that will spend the next six months looking at the most effective ways to set up this new category."...
From the Left
International Swimming Federation votes to restrict transgender athletes from competing in elite women’s aquatics competitionsThe International Swimming Federation (FINA) has voted to approve a new policy that will restrict most transgender athletes from competing in elite women’s aquatics competitions.
Swimming’s world governing body approved the new “gender inclusion” policy on Sunday, after 71.5% of FINA’s member federations voted in support at the FINA Extraordinary General Congress 2022.
The new gender inclusion policy, which is set to go into effect on June 20, 2022, says that male-to-female transgender athletes will only be eligible to compete in the women’s categories in FINA competitions if they transition...
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