A recent United Nations report has revealed that female athletes have lost nearly 900 medals to transgender competitors in women’s sporting categories.
The report, titled “Violence against women and girls in sports,” was presented by Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, at the UN General Assembly earlier this month. This startling finding has sparked renewed debate over the fairness of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
The report highlights that over 600 female athletes across more than 400 competitions have lost a total of 890 medals to competitors who were born male.
These competitions spanned 29 different sports, underscoring the broad scope of the issue. The report notes that the inclusion of male-born athletes in female sports categories has led to an increasing number of female athletes losing opportunities for success, including podium finishes and medals.
One of the key arguments presented in the report is that male athletes possess physiological advantages, such as higher strength and testosterone levels, which can offer an edge in various sports.
While some sporting federations require transgender athletes to undergo testosterone suppression, the report argues that these measures do not eliminate the performance advantages acquired prior to transitioning.
Alsalem wrote that “pharmaceutical testosterone suppression for genetically male athletes—irrespective of how they identify—will not eliminate the set of comparative performance advantages they have already acquired.”
The report also criticizes existing policies implemented by international sports federations and national governing bodies, which have allowed transgender athletes to compete in women’s categories.
Alsalem claims that these policies undermine the fairness of competition for female athletes, despite the testosterone suppression mandates. She emphasized that these mandates may harm the health of transgender athletes while failing to ensure fairness for female competitors.
In response to these challenges, Alsalem called for stronger protections for women and girls in sports. One proposed solution is the introduction of open categories, where all athletes, regardless of gender identity, can compete, ensuring fairness for female competitors.
Additionally, she advocated for “non-invasive, confidential, and simple sex screenings” to maintain the integrity of women’s sports categories.
Apart from the issues related to transgender participation, Alsalem’s report also addresses other barriers faced by women and girls in sports. She highlighted the prevalence of sexism, harmful social stereotypes, and limited access to resources and infrastructure as key obstacles.
These issues, she noted, compound the difficulties that women and girls already face, further eroding their ability to participate in sports under fair and safe conditions.
Alsalem argued that the combination of these challenges, along with the inclusion of male-born athletes in women’s sports, has severely impacted the opportunities available to female athletes.
She urged the UN and its member states to take steps to protect women and girls in sports and create an environment where they can compete with dignity, fairness, and safety.
This report has emerged at a time when transgender participation in women’s sports has become a major political issue. In New York, for instance, billboards opposing the state’s proposed “Equal Rights Amendment” have been appearing ahead of the Nov. 5 ballot. Critics of the amendment argue that it would allow transgender athletes to compete against women in sports.
One such billboard outside the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse read, “Vote No to ERASING Women,” urging voters to reject the proposal.
This opposition highlights the growing concern surrounding transgender participation in women’s sports, particularly in light of reports like Alsalem’s.