On Wednesday, October 23rd, a United Nations report revealed that nearly 900 medals in women’s sports have been claimed by transgender athletes, raising significant concerns about fairness and the integrity of female competitions. The report, Violence Against Women and Girls in Sports, authored by UN Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem, reveals that by March 2024, over 600 female athletes across 29 sports had been denied medal positions in more than 400 competitions due to the participation of transgender-identifying athletes.
The report states that allowing male-born athletes who identify as female to compete in women’s sports has significantly reduced competitive opportunities for biological female athletes, leading to the loss of nearly 900 medals across various sports. It also raises concerns about fairness and safety, emphasizing that testosterone suppression policies do not fully counteract the physical advantages that male-born athletes retain, which continue to affect competition.
Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer and outspoken advocate for women’s sports, addressed the issue on Fox and Friends, remarking, “One girl being exploited in locker rooms, one girl being injured in their sport is one too many.” Gaines, who previously competed against Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer who won an NCAA Division I title, has joined legal actions pushing for changes in athletic regulations.
The report also referenced incidents of injury and unfair competition, including the case of Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player from North Carolina, who sustained a concussion and ongoing health issues after a transgender player spiked a ball at her during a game. McNabb testified to lawmakers about the dangers women face when forced to compete against male-bodied athletes.
Alsalem’s report calls for global sports bodies to address this growing concern by establishing open categories and re-evaluating the effectiveness of testosterone suppression rules for transgender athletes. “Pharmaceutical testosterone suppression for genetically male athletes… will not eliminate the set of comparative performance advantages they have already acquired,” Alsalem argued.
As discussions around transgender participation in sports continue to escalate, there is growing advocacy for stronger measures to protect fairness and safety for female athletes.
