World Athletics: "Transgender Women Who Experienced Male Puberty Cannot Compete in International Events"
2020 Tokyo Olympics Silver Medalist Yimbo Ma: "Will Use Every Means to Fight"
The World Athletics Federation has banned transgender athletes who have undergone gender reassignment surgery from competing in women's events, sparking backlash from top-tier athletes who are now unable to participate in the World Athletics Championships, with repercussions expected.
On the 23rd (local time), the World Athletics Federation officially announced on its website the finalized revised regulation called the ‘DSD (Differences of Sexual Development) regulation,’ stating that “transgender athletes who have gone through puberty as males will not be allowed to compete in women's international competitions starting from the 31st of this month.”
This strengthens the previous rule which set the eligibility for women's 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, 1500m, and 1 mile (1.61 km) events at a testosterone level of 5 nmol/L or below. The federation expanded the application of the DSD regulation to all women's events and lowered the maximum allowable testosterone level to 2.5 nmol/L or below, which is half of the previous limit.
Accordingly, only athletes who have maintained testosterone levels at or below 2.5 nmol/L for at least 24 months can compete in the 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, 1500m, and 1 mile events. For other events, a grace period has been applied, reducing the required duration of maintaining testosterone levels at or below 2.5 nmol/L to 6 months.
In response, Christine Mboma, a Namibian athletics star and silver medalist in the women's 200m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, immediately raised objections, calling it a “unilateral administrative decision.”
Mboma's coach, Henk Botha, told the BBC on the 24th, “The sudden change in regulations has prevented Mboma and several other athletes from competing in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest this August,” adding, “We will use every possible means to address the athletes' grievances.”
Mboma is one of the key athletes who triggered the revision of the DSD regulation. Although her natural testosterone level has not been precisely disclosed, it is known to be over 5 nmol/L, more than three times higher than the typical female range of 0.12 to 1.79 nmol/L.
Originally specializing in the 400m, Mboma switched to the 200m event, which under the previous regulations allowed participation without hormone treatment. She won the silver medal in the women's 200m at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with a time of 21.81 seconds. After the Tokyo Olympics, she further improved her personal best in the 200m to 21.78 seconds.
Many experts predicted that “Mboma's dominance in the 200m would soon begin.” Inspired by Mboma's success, other middle-distance runners in their late teens or early twenties on the so-called ‘DSD list’ also switched their main event to the 200m. Currently, there are a total of 13 athletes on this list, including Mboma.
In response, the World Athletics Federation announced it would scientifically review which events testosterone regulations should apply to in order to preserve fairness, and proceeded to expand the application of the DSD regulation.
However, Mboma's camp argues that the timing of the federation's regulation revision is problematic. The Budapest World Championships open on August 19 this year, which is less than six months after the regulation change. Therefore, even if Mboma and the other 13 athletes start hormone treatment immediately, they cannot participate in the World Championships.
Coach Botha said, “We have received no explanation from the World Athletics Federation,” and added, “It is very difficult to oppose the federation's decision, but we must fight against this handling. We will use all means.”
He continued, “Fortunately, Mboma has not been discouraged. Even if she misses the World Championships, she can compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics if she undergoes hormone treatment,” adding, “The new regulation is not the end for us, but an obstacle to overcome.”
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