{"id":150848,"date":"2022-07-26T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifamnews.com\/?p=150848"},"modified":"2022-07-25T01:02:10","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T05:02:10","slug":"international-swimming-federation-says-no-to-transpersons-in-women-s-competitions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ifamnews.com\/en\/international-swimming-federation-says-no-to-transpersons-in-women-s-competitions","title":{"rendered":"FINA says “No” to trans athletes in women’s competitions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The story of “Lia” Thomas, the first transgender person ever to win<\/a> an NCAA title, the federation reserved for U.S. colleges, is now well known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will Thomas, a biological male identifying as a woman while still retaining all of the male attributes, has taken on the name “Lia” and has been given the opportunity to compete in women’s competitions<\/a> in the sport he prefers, swimming, and at which\u2013as a boy\u2013he frankly does not excel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas has been cleared by the University of Pennsylvania to compete in the women’s 500-yard freestyle, as well as to quietly use the girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms. In March, in Atlanta, he beat all opponents, including Emma Weyant, an Olympic silver medalist in the 400 medley at last summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The victory raised ill-concealed discontent among athletes, and the proud opposition of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who in fact rejected the results and recognized Weyant as the true winner of the race. As iFamNews wrote at the time, however<\/a>, “controversy over ‘Lia’ Thomas’s participation in women’s swimming competitions is not new. So much so that the NCAA, under pressure, […] chose to revise its guidelines on trans athletes asking to compete with women. It did so by shifting responsibility<\/a> onto each governing body. And so the next day the swimming governing body issued a statement saying it ‘firmly believes in inclusivity and the opportunity for all athletes to experience the sport of swimming in a manner consistent with their gender identity and expression.'”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few days ago, the “governing body for swimming,” the International Swimming Federation<\/a> (FINA), approved legislation under which transgender athletes will not be allowed to participate in elite<\/a> women’s competitions unless they have completed their transition by the age of 12. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Today\u2019s @fina1908 Extraordinary General Congress, held on the sidelines of #FINABudapest2022<\/a>, today elected members to the Aquatics Integrity Unit & adopted a new #athlete<\/a> policy on gender inclusion.

For all the details \ud83d\udcdd\ud83d\udc47 https:\/\/t.co\/QcjnGFyVJK<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ohGwRkg63Q<\/a><\/p>— World Aquatics President (@Captain__Aqua) June 19, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>