Swimming World Cup Category for Trans Athletes Scrapped

World Aquatics have scrapped the “open category” for swimmers at the 2023 World Cup stop in Berlin after no entries were received. 

Last year, the governing body of swimming sparked controversy by imposing a ban on transgender women from participating in the elite female category. 

World Aquatics (formerly known as FINA) had previously implemented bans on transgender athletes participating in major events such as the Olympics and world championships. 

However, they expressed their dedication to establishing an inclusive category for all swimmers when they initially introduced their “gender inclusion policy” last year during the World Championships in Budapest. 

Open Category

The “open category” featured 50m and 100m races in all swimming strokes, running alongside the traditional men’s and women’s competitions.

World Aquatics modified its policy last year following the controversy surrounding American swimmer Lia Thomas, who became the first publicly recognised transgender athlete to secure the top U.S. national college title in swimming. 

This move influenced other sports like athletics and cycling to also restrict transgender women from participating in the female category. However, World Aquatics is the first organisation to attempt to establish a third category separate from both men’s and women’s events.

A statement from the governing body read: “World Aquatics can confirm that no entries have been received for the open category events.

‘No Current Demand’

World Aquatics has stated that its open-category working group will persist in its efforts. 

“Distances in various events had been made available for the open category, introduced on a pilot basis following the adoption of the World Aquatics policy on eligibility for the men’s and women’s competition categories.

“The World Aquatics Open Category Working Group will continue its work and engagement with the aquatics community on open category events.

“Even if there is no current demand at the elite level, the working group is planning to look at the possibility of including open category races at Masters events in the future”. 

Alienating Trans Athletes

Director of Policy and Programs at LGBTQ sports advocacy organisation Athlete Ally Anne Lieberman criticised the governing body’s decision last year, stating that the new policy could not be implemented without infringing upon the privacy and human rights of any athlete seeking to participate in the women’s category.

In August this year, Athlete Ally made a public statement expressing their disappointment at World Aquatics decision to force transgender athletes to participate within an ‘open category’, as it promoted “further othering and alienation of transgender athletes who already face tremendous stigma and abuse”. 

“As a society, we decided long ago that “separate but equal” is dangerous and damaging. This policy does nothing to provide the kind of protections to women athletes that they have been calling for decades — an end to sexual harassment and abuse, parity in pay and leadership, equal opportunities, and a lack of resources for women athletes. Instead, this only increases hostile gender norms and invasive testing that hurt all women athletes”, Director Lieberman said.