The FINA (International Swimming Federation) has approved a new regulation that limits the participation of transgender swimmers in women's competitions according to a series of conditions. The media case of Lia Thomas, a transsexual swimmer who competes for the University of Pennsylvania, has opened a debate that the organization has not been slow to address.
Competitor in the male category before the gender reassignment process, Thomas did not stand out above the rest. Now, at 22 and facing women, she shatters records in the US university system and breaks Olympic swimmer records. After winning the NCAA 500-yard freestyle event last March, an image went viral in which the swimmer posed alone on top of the podium while the second, third and fourth-ranked women took a separate photo. Although it may be an image taken out of context, at the time it was pointed out that the real reason was that they did not consider Lia Thomas in the same category as her, illegitimating her victory.
In a 34-page document, the governing body establishes that for a transsexual person who has made the change from male to female to compete in the same-sex category, they cannot have passed male puberty. That is, the treatment that is applied to carry out the gender change must have been carried out before the age of 12.
However, this is not the only condition. Another of the measures that professional athletes demanded and that FINA includes in its new regulations is the establishment of a limit on the levels of testosterone allowed to compete in the female category. The maximum amount will be 2.5 nanomoles per liter of blood.
The new laws have received the support of 71% of the 152 federations that make up the Extraordinary Congress of FINA. The entire voting process is based on scientific studies that demonstrate the physical superiority of transgender women over cisgender women. The regulations come into force immediately, which means that Lia Thomas will not be able to continue preparing to compete in the women's category at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
The president of FINA, Husain Al-Musallam, expressed his opinion on the controversial issue after the session held in Budapest: "We have to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive equality in our events, especially in the female category.
On the other hand, Lia Thomas has not yet commented on the new regulations, which completely conditions her competitive future. The last time she spoke publicly was in an interview with Sports Illustrated on March 3. "I'm a woman, like everyone on my team. I've always seen myself as a swimmer. It's what I've been doing for a long time and what I love," she declared.
The decision inevitably opens the door to others that will have to arrive in order to reach a solution that is as equitable as possible. One of the possibilities that the FINA high command is considering is the creation of an open category so that transgender people can participate freely. According to Al-Musallam, this would mean that "everyone would have the opportunity to compete in the elite." "FINA will always welcome all athletes. This is unprecedented, so we must lead the way," says the president.
