A UN study revealed that transgender athletes participating in women’s athletic events have attained almost 900 medals, potentially surpassing biologically female competitors.
The study, focused on “violence against women and girls in sports,” highlighted that over 600 biologically female athletes lost approximately 890 medals to transgender participants in more than 400 competitions across 29 sports.
The big picture; The authors of the study emphasized the perceived disadvantage to biologically female athletes in “mixed sex” competitions when competing against transgender athletes, citing specific attributes advantageous to male athletes, such as strength and higher testosterone levels from an early age.
- There is a disparity in the testosterone testing requirements for biologically female athletes, who are regularly screened for performance-enhancing drugs, compared to biologically male athletes, who the study claims are subject to “arbitrary and asymmetrical” testosterone requirements.
What we’re watching: The study calls for the exclusion of male athletes from female categories in sports to ensure fair competition and notes the need for exclusive competitions accessible only to biologically female athletes.
- It suggests non-invasive sex screening methods and genetic testing in exceptional cases to verify athletes’ biological sex.
What they’re saying: “Male athletes have specific attributes considered advantageous in certain sports, such as strength and testosterone levels which are higher than the average range for females even before puberty, thereby resulting in the loss of fair opportunity,” the study reads. “To avoid the loss of a fair opportunity, males must not compete in the female categories of sport.”
