World Triathlon to continue to allow transgender women to race under tougher eligibility rules

World Triathlon has announced it will allow transgender women to continue to race in the female category, though they will face tougher eligibility rules.

The triathlon governing body has taken a less strict stance than that of swimming while simultaneously announcing a set of new eligibility rules.

Transgender women will now have to prove their testosterone concentration is less than 2.5 nanomoles per litre for at least two years to compete in the female category.

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Previously they only had to provide one year’s worth of data.

On top of that, World Triathlon announced that four years must have elapsed since a transgender athlete competed as a man in any competition before they can enter the women’s competition.

The body announced that the new policy has been approved by the majority of the executive board.

President of World Triathlon, Marisol Casado, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), released a statement, saying: “We have been studying this matter for over a year, we have listened to the voices of all World Triathlon stakeholders, and I can only thank all the Committees and Commissions for the detailed work carried out by them to inform this policy."

"We are a small International Federation, but one that has always had inclusion and gender balance in our DNA," Casado continued. "The Policy that we have just approved shows that we are prioritising the fairness principle but showing inclusiveness."

"It is fully aligned with the IOC’s recommendation, and similar to what other IFs [International Federations] have done in the last months.

"We will of course monitor the situation and the evolution of this policy, and we are open to reviewing and discussing it as much as necessary over time, as this subject is still evolving and we need to be flexible.”

It earmarks a more progressive approach taken, in contrast to moves from FINA, swimming’s international governing body, which voted to completely restrict transgender women from competing in female categories.

The move followed a barrage of controversy surrounding swimmer Lia Thomas becoming the first openly transgender athlete to become a Division I national champion in any sport.

For women competing in the Olympic triathlon event, athletes have to complete a 1.5 kilometre swim, 40km cycle, and 10km run.