FINA The Transgender Sports: Has Found A Simple Solution To The Transgender Athletes Events Issue In Sports

The International Organization Transgender Athletes Sport

The American swimmer Lia Thomas won an NCAA championship in March; FINA, the international organization overseeing the sport, ruled Sunday that transgender athletes can no longer compete in female events unless they transitioned before age 12. Even then, they would have to produce testosterone testing.

Instead, FINA will take to create 'Open' divisions for transgender competition if demand is there.

We have the right of our athletes to compete. Still, we also have to preserve competitive fairness at our events, especially the women's category, FINA president Husain Al-Musallam said in a statement.

The Simplest And Fairest Solution To A Issue

This was the most straightforward and fairest solution to a problem that arrived before governing bodies knew quite what to do.

Already World Athletics, which oversees track and field, said it would re-examine its policy, and President Sebastian Coe, himself a four-time Olympic medallist, supported FINA’s approach. Other sports are sure to follow, or at least should.

In the long run, creating a third division and eliminating the perception that transgender athletes are a 'threat,' or in any way controversial, political, or tinged with negativity should do more to promote acceptance than the current setup.

Issue From The Transgender Athlete By Bigots Pandering Politicians

While the transgender athlete issue has, undoubtedly, been hijacked at times by bigots and pandering politicians, that doesn’t mean the problems weren’t legitimate, even to many who are well-meaning and inclusive.

Casting this as a zero-sum issue was counterproductive and wrong. This isn't a litmus test on whether or not they should support young people going through challenging and sometimes dangerous times in their life.

And suppose it comes to the day when transgender athletes can excite fans and onlookers in their competitions free from sporting controversy. In that case, they will likely do wonders in showing the same talent, dedication, work ethic, and personality as other athletes.

Transgender Athletes Competition Race

Taken to its logical conclusion, where there might be a dozen or dozens of transgender athletes competing in a race, female athletes would be boxed out of elite competition or even put at physical risk in contact sports such as soccer and basketball.

 FINA's policy paper concluded that without eligibility standards based on biological sex or sex-linked traits, we are doubtful to see biological females in finals, podiums, or championship positions.

However, its research showed that obvious advantages could come through going through puberty as a boy in swimming's case, things like height, arm length, hand and foot size, and so on.

Yet, not having a real competitive chance for a biological female could decrease participation as much as anything.

One Of My Colleague's Transgender

If one of my colleagues here in my team suddenly becomes transgender, it doesn’t make a difference to me.

They will continue to do the same job with skill and aplomb precisely as they did before they made that transition.

Coe is correct, at least under current science. So good for FINA for stepping up and making the right call.

Here's hoping the same energy from both sides arguing this issue is now spent on promoting access to competition and celebrating the athletic achievement of both transgender and biologically female athletes.