BUDAPEST, Hungary (NBC) – FINA, the world governing body of swimming, voted Sunday to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women’s competitions.
At a meeting in Budapest, Hungary Sunday, members voted overwhelmingly to accept the new policy.
FINA will now require trans swimmers to have completed their transition by age 12 to be eligible to compete in competitions, including the Olympics.
Athletes would also have to prove they have continuously suppressed their testosterone levels since their transition
The group also announced a new working group to focus on establishing an “open” category for trans women in some events as part of its new policy.
All this comes just three months after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title.
After her win, Thomas expressed her desire to swim in the Olympics.
The new policy was described as, “deeply discriminatory, harmful, unscientific” by Anne Lieberman of athlete ally, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ athletes.
The new rules do not impact NCAA athletes.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.