French native Halba Diouf was hoping to run for her country at the Summer 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, the transgender woman will be unable to compete for gold because the sports governing body World Athletics has banned transgender women from participating in women’s sports at those games.
Diouf, whose transition was recognized by France in 2021, spoke out recently against WA’s decision, per Reuters, citing that previous rules and regulations said trans women and athletes with differences in sex development were allowed to run in events between 400 meters and the mile if their natural plasma testosterone level was below five nanomoles per liter, and that they were also cleared to run in 100-meter and 200-meter races.
In March, the maximum plasma testosterone levels for long-distance runs were cut in half and it was required that those levels be maintained for two years before athletes with DSD were allowed to participate.
“I cannot understand this decision as transgender women have always been allowed to compete if their testosterone levels were below a certain threshold,” Diouf told Reuters. “The only safeguard transgender women have is their right to live as they wish, and we are being refused that, we are being hounded. … I feel marginalized because they are excluding me from competitions.”
“Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said.
[Fox News]
