Joining a raft

It looks as if the blockage has been dissolved.

The International Hockey Federation (IHF) and World Triathlon have joined a raft of governing bodies reviewing their policy on the involvement of transgender athletes in women’s sport following last weekend’s ruling by swimming’s top body FINA.

Yesssssssssssssss. Do that.

“We are conducting a review of our transgender policy and this is a current work in progress in consultation with the IOC (International Olympic Committee),” a spokesperson for the IHF told Reuters on Wednesday.

World Triathlon are working on their own guidelines which will be released after the approval of the Executive Board in November, following a review by the medical committee, women’s committee and equality, diversity & inclusion commission.

Once approved, it will be implemented at international level (World Triathlon) and also distributed to all National Federations for their implementation at a local level,” a World Triathlon spokesperson said.

“We have also reached out to the transgender community to receive their feedback and inputs.

“Please tell us just how determined you are to ruin women’s sports.”

World Athletics, soccer’s governing body FIFA and World Netball are reviewing their transgender inclusion policies after FINA’s verdict, the strictest by any Olympic sports body.

Rugby league banned transgender players from women’s international competition until further notice on Tuesday, while the International Cycling Union (UCI) last week tightened its eligibility rules.

LGBT rights group Athlete Ally said FINA’s new eligibility criteria [were] “discriminatory” and “harmful”, while transgender cyclist Veronica Ivy described the policy as “unscientific”. 

Well they would say that wouldn’t they.

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