Transgender women banned from female athletics events

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World Athletics has banned transgender female athletes from competing in female track and field events.

"The council has agreed to exclude male or female transgender athletes who have been through male puberty from female world ranking competitions from March the 31st this year," the governing body's president, Sebastian Coe, said on Thursday.

Coe said World Athletics had discussed the issue with the International Olympic Committee and national federations.

"The majority of those consulted stated that transgender athletes should not be competing in the female category," he said.

"Many believe there is insufficient evidence that trans women do not retain advantage over biological women and want more evidence that any physical advantages have been ameliorated before they are willing to consider an option for inclusion into the female category."

The council also voted to cut the maximum amount of plasma testosterone for athletes with Differences in Sex Development (DSD) in half, to 2.5 nanomoles per liter from five.

The tighter rules will impact DSD athletes such as two-time Olympic 800 meter champion Caster Semenya, Christine Mboma, the 2020 Olympic silver medallist in the 200m, and Francine Niyonsaba, who finished runner-up to Semenya in the 800 at the 2016 Olympics.

This is a developing news story, more will follow...

lo/nm (AFP, Reuters)

Source: DW