The World Athletics Council's ban on transgender women competing in international events has been criticised by members of the community who have lived experience of facing discrimination in sport.
Transgender athletes have described the ban as 'hurtful' and 'disappointing'.Middle-distance runner Ricki Coughlan admits she was “greatly fearful” when she first came out as transgender, but quickly found an Australia that was “welcoming and inclusive” and willing to embrace her.
As the first openly-transgender woman permitted to participate in athletics by a sporting body, she is well aware of the challenges faced by trans and gender-diverse people in sport.When the World Athletics Council announced last week it would bar transgender women from competing in female international track and field competitions, Ms Coughlan said she wasn't surprised but disappointed by the decision.
However, she is heartened that while the global athletics body has enforced the ban, Australian Athletics has not changed their position on inclusion in sport. The Council said the decision was to “prioritise fairness and the integrity of the female competition before inclusion”. She was also barred from participating in the Women’s Australian Football League after being nominated for the draft in 2017.AAP
When asked whether the new rules would spill over into community sports, Ms Mouncey stated she believed that it would discourage transgender people and people with DSD from participating.“Trans people already … weren’t competing in sport or even taking part in exercise as it is,” she said.Retired Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Olympic track and field athlete Jane Flemming has welcomed the decision from the World Athletics Council, describing it as a “win for fairness” for women in sport.
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