New Zealand Olympic Committee Acknowledges New Policy on Female Category
The New Zealand Olympic Committee acknowledged the extensive work that went into developing a new policy on the protection of the female category in elite sport. The International Olympic Committee unveiled this policy, which introduces gene testing to effectively bar transgender athletes and some with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) from competing in the female class at the Games.
New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, who competed as a woman at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, would no longer be eligible under the new rules. The New Zealand Olympic Committee’s Chief Executive Nicki Nicol stated that they recognize the extensive consultation and expert input informing this policy to bring greater clarity, consistency, and fairness to eligibility for the female category at the Olympic level.
The International Olympic Committee’s working group found scientific evidence pointing to a male performance advantage in all sports, with more than 100% advantage in explosive power events like weightlifting. They also noted that there is no current evidence that testosterone suppression or gender-affirming hormone treatment eliminates this advantage.
Opponents of the policy dispute the science and have concerns about mental health among transgender athletes as well as safeguarding and impact on athletes who discover they have a DSD only after taking the SRY test. The Australian LGBT sports rights group Pride Cup called for national sports federations to reject the new policy, arguing that it shifts focus from inclusion to exclusion.
The Australian Olympic Committee acknowledged the new policy and the fairness and certainty it provides elite female athletes. President Ian Chesterman noted that this decision will be challenging for some athletes and emphasized their welfare and wellbeing.