WBC Announces Plan for Transgender Boxing Division in 2023

The World Boxing Council is going to start a new division for people with different sexual preferences.

"We are creating a set of rules and structures so that they can box if they want to, as they fully deserve to if they want to," said Mauricio Sulaiman, who is the president of the World Boxing Council.

Trans fighters will still be limited in whom they can fight.

He said that changing genders by birth would not be allowed.

The guidelines for trans boxers were published by the World Boxing Council. The organization supports the rights of trans people and recognizes the gender identity of athletes.

There is no consensus on whether a bout between a cis gendered woman and a trans gendered woman is fair.

"Metric such as testosterone level less than 10 nanomoles per liter (achieved by using testosterone suppression medication in the transgender woman), in isolation is inadequate to ensure fairness at the time off the bout. It can be argued that by the time a transgender woman combatant launches her professional career she has already gone through male puberty thus conferring her with the musculature and bony structure of a male. So, a transgender woman combatant may have an unfair advantage over her cisgender woman combatant."

The data is far from conclusive as to whether or not trans women have a physical advantage over cis women.

New guidance for individual sporting associations regarding trans athletes was offered by the IOC.

The IOC wrote that no athlete should be precluded from competing or excluded from competition on the basis of their sex variations, physical appearance and/or gender identity.

Any restrictions should only be put in place on the strength of peer reviewed research.

The policy of the FINA, which oversees competitive aquatic sports, is similar to that of the World Boxing Council. Swimmers who transitioned after 12 years old were not allowed to compete in elite women's races. An "open" category would allow more trans swimmers to race, according to the organization.

The move was called "discriminatory, harmful, unscientific and not in line with the IOC principles" by Athletes Ally.