World Athletics Council Bars Trans Female Athletes From Women’s Competitions
AllSides Summary
The World Athletics Council voted to exclude transgender athletes who have been through male puberty from women’s international track and field competitions.
Key Quotes: In a statement, World Athletics said the decision followed a two-month “consultation period with various stakeholders” including “representative transgender and human rights groups.” The organization added that "there are currently no transgender athletes competing internationally," and consequently no athletics-specific evidence of how these athletes would impact "the fairness of female competition in athletics." It also updated its rules to require athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD), to "reduce their testosterone levels below a limit of 2.5 nmol/L" for at least 24 months to compete in the female category.
For Context: World Athletics issued similar rules for women’s swimming in 2022. The issue has become hotly contested in the U.S., as some Republicans promote legislation to exclude trans women from women’s sports. Many sports medicine experts agree that trans women have athletic advantages over cisgender women, though many also oppose blanket bans on trans athletes.
How the Media Covered It: Coverage often reflected polarized narratives on trans women’s participation in women’s sports. An AP (Lean Left bias) article said the decision was “expected to stoke outrage.” A Fox News (Right bias) headline said trans athletes were “put on notice on the world stage.” Coverage in The Daily Wire (Right bias), home to some pundits who support banning gender transition care entirely, featured an unflattering photo of a trans weightlifter.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
World Athletics bans trans females who experienced male puberty

Transgender women who have experienced male puberty will not be permitted to compete in female world ranking competitions, the World Athletics announced Thursday.
The international council opted to ban the swath of prospective athletes instead of continuing to follow its previous rules that placed parameters on the testosterone levels of transgender female athletes.
Previously, transgender women were required to reduce their amount of blood testosterone to a maximum of 2.5 nanomoles for a period of 24 months to qualify for competition.
From the Left
World Athletics tightens rules on transgender women athletes

World Athletics (WA) announced new rules on Thursday impacting transgender women athletes, banning some from competing in female track and field events.
The announced regulations, which come into force on March 31, prohibit athletes who have gone through what WA called “male puberty” from participating in female world rankings competitions. WA said the exclusion would apply to “male-to-female transgender athletes who have been through male puberty.”
“Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain...
From the Center
World governing body bans transgender women athletes
World Athletics has banned transgender women from competing in elite female competitions and tightened testosterone restrictions for other athletes, the governing body said on Thursday.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said that the decision to exclude transgender women who had gone through male puberty was based "on the overarching need to protect the female category".
The tighter measures around one of the most contentious and divisive issues in sport follow a similar move by World Aquatics in 2022.
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