World Athletics Federation President Sebastian Coe said transgender women will no longer be allowed to compete in women’s track and field events, regardless of their testosterone levels.
Coe said that no transgender female athletes who have gone through male puberty will be allowed to participate in the women’s world ranking competitions starting March 31.
Speaking after a meeting of the world athletics federation’s decision-making body on Thursday, Coe said the World Athletics Federation had consulted with stakeholders including 40 national federations. , the International Olympic Committee and transgender groups on transgender athletes.
“The majority of those consulted said that transgender athletes should not compete in the women’s category,” he said.
“Many people feel there is not enough evidence that transgender women do not hold an advantage over biological women and want more evidence that all physical advantages have been enhanced before they can. willing to consider the option to include women.”
He added: “The ruling we made…I believe it is in the best interest of our sport.
Coe said a working group headed by a transgender person would be created to further monitor scientific developments.
“We’re not saying ‘no’ forever,” Coe said.
“We continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations,” he said. “We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and male advantage, which will inevitably develop over the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the female category in athletics is paramount.”
World Athletics said it became apparent that there is “little support within the sport” for an option that was presented to stakeholders that required transgender athletes to maintain their testosterone levels below 2.5 nanomoles per litre of blood for 24 months to be eligible to compete internationally in the female category.