The decision was reached on March 31st of this year and has now recently taken effect.
The move emulates that of the International Swimming Federation’s decision to also prohibit transgenders from competing in women’s events, in response to a biological male identifying as a woman, Lia Thomas, winning the NCAA Women’s Swimming Championship and shattering previous records. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also decided to get involved and crown the second place winner of the competition, Emma Weyant, as the winner because she was a resident of Florida and once competed for the University of Florida.
But as for World Althetic’s ruling – the body explained the details of this move in a press release:
The Council agreed to update the eligibility regulations for transgender and DSD athletes to compete in the female category.
For DSD athletes, the new regulations will require any relevant athletes to reduce their testosterone levels below a limit of 2.5 nmol/L for a minimum of 24 months to compete internationally in the female category in any event, not just the events that were restricted (400m to one mile) under the previous regulations.
The principle of restricted events has been removed from the regulations.
Interim provisions will be introduced for those relevant athletes who are already competing in what were the unrestricted events (distances below 400m and above one mile, plus field events). These provisions include a requirement to suppress their testosterone levels below 2.5nmol/L for a minimum of six months, before they are eligible to compete again.
The six months period is consistent with the previous regulations, which required six months of testosterone suppression (below 5nmol/L) for DSD athletes to compete in the restricted events. The interim provisions do not apply to the previously restricted events (400m to one mile) where two years of testosterone suppression will be required before the relevant athlete is eligible to compete.
These regulations will come into effect on 31 March 2023.
In regard to transgender athletes, the Council has agreed to exclude male-to-female transgender athletes who have been through male puberty from female World Rankings competition from 31 March 2023.
World Athletics conducted a consultation period with various stakeholders in the first two months of this year, including Member Federations, the Global Athletics Coaches Academy and Athletes’ Commission, the IOC as well as representative transgender and human rights groups.
It became apparent that there was little support within the sport for the option that was first presented to stakeholders, which required transgender athletes to maintain their testosterone levels below 2.5nmol/L for 24 months to be eligible to compete internationally in the female category.
In terms of DSD regulations, World Athletics has more than ten years of research and evidence of the physical advantages that these athletes bring to the female category.
However, there are currently no transgender athletes competing internationally in athletics and consequently no athletics-specific evidence of the impact these athletes would have on the fairness of female competition in athletics.
In these circumstances, the Council decided to prioritise fairness and the integrity of the female competition before inclusion.
However the Council agreed to set up a Working Group for 12 months to further consider the issue of transgender inclusion.
This Working Group will include an independent chair, up to three Council Members, two athletes from the Athletes’ Commission, a transgender athlete, three representatives of the Member Federations and representatives of the World Athletics Health and Science Department.
Its remit will be to consult specifically with transgender athletes to seek their views on competing in athletics; to review and/or commission additional research where there is currently limited research and to put forward recommendations to Council.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said:
Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations.
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.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Just like the International Swimming Federation, this is a lukewarm move on the part of World Athletics. They may be barring transgender competition in the women’s class, but are still deliberating on a separate division and inclusion for trannies, instead of just wholly rejecting all of it.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:16
Be that as it may, the transgenderism debate once again settles are arguments over which gender is more stronger, faster, and more athletic versus the other…
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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Jeremiah 8:11
“For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”
And Revelation 3:16 also applies as these professing christians either don’t care or support it and wrongfully say “don’t judge.”