Swimming to set up 'open category' for transgender athletes

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Swimming intends to set up an 'open category' to allow transgender athletes to compete in a separate class at the elite level, Husain Al-Musallam, president of governing body FINA, announced on Sunday. 

The policy will, however, exclude many transgender athletes from women's elite swimming. 

"I do not want any athlete to be told they cannot compete at the highest level," Al-Musallam told an extraordinary congress of his organization. 

"I will set up a working group to set up an open category at our meets. We will be the first federation to do that." 

He was speaking after FINA unveiled a policy on inclusivity which was then approved by the members. 

Brent Nowicki, FINA's CEO, said the organization was determined to maintain separate men's and women's competition. 

He added that FINA "recognizes that certain individuals may not be able to compete in the category that best aligns with their legal gender alignment or gender identity." 

Under the rules, he said, male competition would be open to all.

But "male-to-female transgender athletes and intersex athletes can only compete as female athletes in FINA competition, or set a world record, if they can prove they have not experienced any element of male puberty." 

In the debate that followed, Dr Christer Magnusson, a Swedish member of FINA's medical committee, was among those who complained that the implication was that boys aged as young as 10 would have to decide to start transitioning. 

Last year, the International Olympic Committee announced guidelines but asked federations to produce their own 'sport-specific' rule. 

FINA set up three expert committees, one medical, one legal and one of athletes, to look at the issue. 

The medical committee found that men who transitioned to woman retained advantages. 

"Some of the advantages males acquire in puberty are structural and are not lost with hormone suppression," said Dr Sandra Hunter of the Marquette University in Milwaukee. 

"These include larger lungs and hearts, longer bones, bigger feet and hands." 

The legal experts concluded that the policy of excluding most transgender swimmers would be legal. 

They were "necessary and proportionate to achieve a legitimate objective," said London-based barrister James Drake. 

For the swimmers, Cate Campbell, an Australian four-time Olympic gold medalist said: "My role is to stand here today and tell trans people we want you to be part of the broader swimming community ... but also to stand here and say... 'listen to the science'." 

In the United States, swimming has moved to the center of the debate over transgender women competing against natal women, as Lia Thomas has become the face of the issue. 

Thomas, a freestyle specialist, competed for the University of Pennsylvania, men's team from 2017-19. 

After transitioning and undergoing required hormone therapy, she raced on the women's team this season. 

Thomas became the first known transgender athlete to win an elite US collegiate title when she edged Olympic medley silver medalist Emma Weyant in the 500m freestyle in Atlanta in March. 

Agence France-Presse

Hosting 2020 Olympics would aid healing process - Tokyo bid chief

MOSCOW — The International Olympic Committee could give a huge boost to the healing process in Japan after the trauma of last year’s tsunami—if they award Tokyo the 2020 Games, bid leader Tsunekazu Takeda said on Saturday.

Takeda was leading the presentation to the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), as Tokyo and their four rivals for the hosting of the Games vie to make the short-list which is decided in Quebec, Canada, next month.

The vote for the winning bidder itself will be held in Buenos Aires next year.

Tokyo—which previously hosted the Games in 1964 and lost out to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 edition—is competing against dark horses Istanbul, Baku, Madrid and Doha.

Takeda, a former Olympic show jumper, said that he and his team were desperate to bring the Games back to Tokyo and help in the recovery of the country’s morale following the catastrophic tsunami.

Tokyo is seen as the early favorite, not only because technically it is seen as an outstanding bid, but also because it is the choice of the sentimental voter.

“The many comments we received during our discussions with Olympic Family members provided us with invaluable feedback about their expectations for future Games,” said Takeda, who is also president of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC).

“We believe that Tokyo 2020 offers a responsible and sustainable plan for compact, centralised Games with a showcase stadium to be built on the site of the historic 1964 Olympic Stadium.

“We are highly motivated to leverage the power of sport, with the firm commitment of the Tokyo and national governments, to help heal, unite and inspire Japan at a time of national rebuilding.”

Istanbul has been rebuffed five times previously but is seen as a genuine contender this time round, not only because the city is seen as a bridge between Asia and Europe but also thanks to its vibrant economy and huge young population.

Hasan Arat, the bid’s vice president, said that a Games in Istanbul would bring to a climax a period of unifying several different strands of society.

“Our commitment to you (the NOCs) goes beyond a robust Games plan,” said the 52-year-old former professional basketball player.

“We promise a spectacular Games, taking the Olympic Movement to new shores.

“This is a period of convergence for Istanbul; convergence of our economy with our vision for sport; convergence of our government support with our youthful population; convergence of our commitment to you with our ability to meet every promise.”

Doha’s bid team were led by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the heir to the throne.

He said he hoped they had laid to rest any debate over it being too hot for the athletes to compete—a criticism of the 2022 World Cup being awarded to Qatar, with the players due to perform in piping hot temperatures in July.

“Athletes are at the heart of this vision. They must have the right conditions to perform,” he said.

“That is why the QOC has been engaging with the International Federations on the timing of a possible Doha 2020 Games.

“This has resulted in our proposal to host the Olympic Games from the 2nd to the 18th of October and the Paralympic Games from the 4th to the 15th of November.

“We have chosen those dates to deal directly with the issue of temperature. To ensure excellent conditions for athletes, spectators, and media, similar to those of previous Olympic Host cities.

“We are grateful to the Federations for the support they have given to these proposals. You could say, we have finally taken the heat out of Doha’s so called ‘hot issue’.”

source: japantoday.com