By Simon Evans
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – The World Netball Federation has become the latest international sports body to announce they are reviewing their rules on transgender involvement in women’s sport after swimming’s ruling on the issue.
“Our Medical Committee are currently in the process of reviewing our transgender policy,” a spokesperson for the federation told Reuters on Tuesday.
Netball is predominately a sport played by women and is aiming for inclusion in the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. Australia has a strong tradition in netball.
On Sunday, swimming’s world governing body FINA has voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women’s competitions and create a working group to establish an “open” category for them in some events as part of its new policy.
That policy also covers FINA events in Diving, Water Polo, Artistic Swimming, and High Diving and Open Water Swimming.
On Monday, soccer’s governing body FIFA and World Athletics said that they are reviewing their transgender eligibility policies.
Rugby league banned transgender players from women’s international competition on Tuesday until further notice.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) said last week it had tightened its eligibility rules.
The decisions have been criticised by trans rights groups.
The FINA verdict was described by U.S based campaign group Athlete Ally as “deeply discriminatory, harmful, unscientific” and out of line with the stance of the International Olympic Committee.
The IOC said in November that no athlete should be excluded from competition on the grounds of a perceived unfair advantage, while leaving it up to sports federations to decide.
“It’s disappointing. We’re human beings the same as everyone else,” transgender woman Caroline Layt, who played elite women’s rugby league in Australia after transitioning, told Reuters.
“It just tells trans kids and trans adults that you’re not worthy. Don’t even bother. Don’t even bother showing up. What’s the point?”
But World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said that sport was having to face up to a clear choice.
“When push comes to shove, if it’s a judgement between inclusion and fairness, we will always fall down on the side of fairness — that for me is non-negotiable,” he said.
“We can’t have a generation of young girls thinking there is not a future for them in the sport. So we have a responsibility… maintaining the primacy and the integrity of female competition is absolutely vital,” he added.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
