Transgender women banned from swimming in women's category

Mulheres transgénero proibidas de nadar na categoria feminina

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) decided on Sunday to ban some transgender women who have gone through any stage of male puberty from competing in the women's category From FINA's perspective the goal is to "protect competitive fairness in the women's category."

O FINA report specifies that transgender women can only compete with other women if they have "complete androgynous insensitivity, not having been able to experience male puberty," or if male puberty has been "suppressed" from the Tanner 2 stage, which marks the beginning of physical development, or before the age of 12.

FINA President Husain al-Musallam defends the decision with the need to "protect competitive fairness in the events, especially in the women's category."

Alternatively, FINA has set up a working group to establish an "open" category in which transgender women will be able to participate.

"FINA will always welcome all athletes. The creation of an open category will mean that everyone will have the opportunity to compete at an elite level. This has not been done before, so FINA will lead the way," al-Musallam said.

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