Sport Australia chief and Olympic great Kieren Perkins has serious reservations about FINA’s ruling banning transgender athletes from female competition. FINA transgender
if he supported FINA’s decision. “This is a really challenging dialogue for anybody and one of the main reasons is that, unfortunately, the far sides of the argument have created this incredible emotive energy around the topic.
And he also questioned the transparency of the FINA process, which cited scientific evidence of ongoing male biological advantage as proof of the need to act decisively. FINA has opted to create an “open” category of athlete to provide an avenue for transgender competitors in sanctioned events. He said FINA had raced to their ruling off the back of one swimmer, American college athlete Lia Thomas, and great care needed to be taken now the debate had been taken to the next stage by FINA’s landmark ruling.“The thing that has disappointed me deeply in this dialogue is we sit here having this very vocal and extreme debate about a section of society that is incredibly marginalised, incredibly misunderstood and already suffers from significant incidences of mental health and suicide.
“As a lawyer, if Lia Thomas is listening, call me. I’d love to take this all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” Dryden told ABC radio. “There is no way this stands up international under human rights rules. But this won’t stand up in a lot of domestic courts. We have anti-discrimination legislation and I don’t how this is going to pass.”
“The community cricket guidelines stipulate our clubs must allow players to take part in community cricket competitions in line with their gender identity,” Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon said. World Rugby’s transgender policy states women may not play at the elite level because of the size, force and power-producing advantages conferred by testosterone during puberty and adolescence, and the resultant player welfare risks this creates.