Transgender women swimmers barred from female competitions by FINA

[BabyBlade]

Great news for athletes! And well done to FINA for having taken what's in my own opionion, a difficult but absolutely necessary stand. I've always had the opinion that transgender women athletes have an advantage over their cisgender counterparts. Our bodies are made differently – males have more upper body strength and muscle mass than females. 

They've paved the way for perhaps the rest of the sporting world to "do the right thing" to protect the "natural world". And I don't think anyone should be called transphobic for saying I respect the gender in which you choose to identify in, but I disagree with the category you're swimming or competing in. 

This runs parallel with allowing transgender and women who have gone under the knives to compete in beauty pageants with natural women. If we disallow performance enhancing drugs to be used in a sporting event, then what about altering one's natural features  and coming out tops in a beauty pageant?

How fast are male swimmers relative to females? 

In summary, the comparative times/speeds are:

50m freestyle: men are 11.7% faster than the women with women completing 89.4% of their swim when the men finish
800m freestyle: men are 8.4% faster than the women with women completing 92.2% of their swim when the men finish
2008 Olympic 10 km: men were 6.8% faster than the women with women completing 93.6% of their swim when the men finish
2012 Olympic 10 km: men were 6.9% faster than the women with women completing 93.6% of their swim when the men finish
2013 world championship 25 km: men are about 6.9% faster than women with women completing 93.5% of their swim when the men finish
1 km ice swim: men are about 12.3% faster than women with women completing 89.0% of their swim when the men finish

Read the article here.

 

Quote

Swimming’s world governing body, Fina, has voted to bar transgender women from elite female competitions if they have experienced any part of male puberty, in a seismic decision that sets it apart from most Olympic sports.

The decision, decided by 71% of the vote of 152 national federations at the world championships in Budapest, followed a report from a Fina scientific panel which found that trans women retained a significant advantage over cisgender female swimmers even after reducing their testosterone levels through medication.

In a new 34-page policy document, Fina said that male-to-female transgender athletes could now compete in the women’s category only “provided they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 [which marks the start of physical development], or before age 12, whichever is later”.

Commenting on the policy the Fina president, Husain al-Musallam, said: “We have to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events, especially the women’s category at Fina competitions.”

Fina has promised to create a working group to establish an “open” category for trans women in some events as part of its new policy.

“Fina will always welcome every athlete,” added Musallam. “The creation of an open category will mean that everybody has the opportunity to compete at an elite level. This has not been done before, so Fina will need to lead the way.”

The vote makes swimming only the second Olympic governing body, after World Rugby in 2020, to introduce a ban on scientific grounds. Most other sports have used testosterone limits as a basis for allowing trans women to compete in the women’s category, a stance that has promoted inclusion but has been criticised on unfairness grounds.

There has been widespread unease in the sport after Lia Thomas, who had been a moderate college swimmer as a male competitor, was able to win a NCAA national college title in the US this year. Others have argued that Thomas is a trailblazer whose success and identity should be celebrated, not restricted. However this vote means that Thomas will no longer be able to compete in the women’s category at the Paris Olympics as intended.

The British former swimmer Sharron Davies welcomed the news, saying on Twitter: “I can’t tell you how proud I am of my sport, Fina and Fina president for doing the science, asking the athletes/coaches and standing up for fair sport for females. Swimming will always welcome everyone no matter how you identify but fairness is the cornerstone of sport.”

Karen Pickering, another former swimmer, said: “I was at the Fina congress for the presentation, discussion and vote and I can vouch for the care and empathy displayed for any athletes who won’t now be able to compete in the category their gender ID may align to … but competitive fairness to women’s category must be protected.”

 

[macrosszero]

If they can have Special Olympics, they can also have transgender Olympics and compete amongst themselves in their categories of man to woman or vice versa. Sooner or later there will be a critical mass. Or not. 

[BabyBlade]

9 minutes ago, Macrosszero said:

If they can have Special Olympics, they can also have transgender Olympics and compete amongst themselves in their categories of man to woman or vice versa. Sooner or later there will be a critical mass. Or not. 

Absoutely. I'm impressed by FINA's policy change. They've set a precedence and hopefully more will follow. 

[Throttle2]

2 hours ago, BabyBlade said:

Absoutely. I'm impressed by FINA's policy change. They've set a precedence and hopefully more will follow. 

Totally agree.

 Otherwise, whats to stop them installing mech fins on their bodies to compete too. 

[Watwheels]

Trans woman swimmer has the best of both worlds actually.

Other than having the pros of a male physique, in between their legs has no obstruction. Can kick faster especially for freestyle. 😁

[Hamburger]

24 minutes ago, Watwheels said:

Trans woman swimmer has the best of both worlds actually.

Other than having the pros of a male physique, in between their legs has no obstruction. Can kick faster especially for freestyle. 😁

More aerodynamic without the 3rd leg too. Not as if it could help to kick or something. 

[Beregond]

Yes this is the fair thing to do .

Its a fact male got better  physique then female in physical sports

They retain those advantages even if they under go operation to become 'female' , How can it be fair if they are allow to complete against natural female ?

I dun mind if they are allow in other stuff like chess or  Electronic Sports though. 

[Arogab]

World have change. Instead of having Mens and Womens category. Just come up with a new category lor. Rules are rules and rules are set by man. Just have new rules. No rules will be able to satisfy everyone lah

[Playtime]

1 hour ago, Watwheels said:

Trans woman swimmer has the best of both worlds actually.

Other than having the pros of a male physique, in between their legs has no obstruction. Can kick faster especially for freestyle. 😁

Errr... that lia Thomas still has all the OEM parts when competing in women's event. 

Even if go for op, it's clear the bone and muscle is different from other female. Can't say it's a fair competition. 

[Watwheels]

50 minutes ago, Playtime said:

Errr... that lia Thomas still has all the OEM parts when competing in women's event. 

Even if go for op, it's clear the bone and muscle is different from other female. Can't say it's a fair competition. 

I wonder how they check before the swim meet. 

"Pull down your trunks."  "No op! Fake and disqualified. Next!"

[1fast1]

I can't believe I'm the first to embed this here. 😁

 

[macrosszero]

https://babylonbee.com/news/motorcycle-that-identifies-as-bicycle-sets-world-cycling-record

NEW YORK, NY—In an inspiring story from the world of professional cycling, a motorcyclist who identifies as a bicyclist has crushed all the regular bicyclists, setting an unbelievable world record.

In a local qualifying race for the World Road Cycling League, the motorcyclist crushed the previous 100-mile record of 3 hours, 13 minutes with his amazing new score of well under an hour.

Professional motorcycle racer Judd E. Banner, the brave trans-vehicle rider, was allowed to race after he told league organizers he's always felt like a bicyclist in a motorcyclist's body.

"Look, my ride has handlebars, two wheels, and a seat," he told reporters as he accepted a trophy for his incredible time trial. "Just because I've got a little extra hardware, such as an 1170-cc flat-twin engine with 110 horsepower, doesn't mean I have any kind of inherent advantage here."

Banner also said he painted the word "HUFFY" on the side of his bike, ensuring he has no advantage over the bikes that came out of the factory as bicycles.

Some critics say he needs to cut off his motor in order to make the competition fairer, but he quickly called these people bigots, and they were immediately banned from professional cycle racing.

[BabyBlade]

Quote

 

The World Swimming Coaches Association (WSCA) previously suggested to FINA that trans swimmers should compete in their own division, a suggestion which has apparently been followed.

In the United States, some lawmakers are drafting legislation that would prohibit transgender athletes from participating in any women's sports. Some of those proposals have passed state senates and houses, and some have been signed into law.

 

 

[Playtime]

16 hours ago, Watwheels said:

I wonder how they check before the swim meet. 

"Pull down your trunks."  "No op! Fake and disqualified. Next!"

well... other lady competitors in the dressing room already complained that they are uncomfortable shim is exposing the still existing and operational dick to them.

[Kb27]

man pretending to be woman competing in woman's sport.

that's fair, yeah...

[Kb27]

[Jamesc]

How about woman that's becomes a man?

Complete only with women?

Change to a man's body then go into the ladies changing room and change with the ladies too?

So compete in the swimming events the trans man wear speedos and all the ladies wear swimsuit?

[Playtime]

1 hour ago, Kb27 said:

man pretending to be woman competing in woman's sport.

that's fair, yeah...

Still got weight lifting and even MMA...🤯