Transsexuals to be allowed at Olympics

Olympics Forum

Transsexual athletes can compete at Athens Olympics
Under a proposal approved Monday by the International Olympic Committee executive board, transsexual athletes have been cleared to compete in the Olympics for the first time in the history of the Games. Athletes who have undergone sex-change surgery will be eligible for the Summer Olympics in Athens if their gender has been legally recognized and they have gone through a minimum two-year period of postoperative hormone therapy.

The decision, which covers both male-to-female and female-to-male cases, had been postponed by the IOC in February on the basis that more time was needed to consider all the medical issues. Some members had been concerned whether male-to-female transsexuals would have physical advantages competing against women. Men have higher levels of testosterone and a greater muscle-to-fat ratio and heart and lung capacity. However, doctors say, testosterone levels and muscle mass drop after hormone therapy and sex-change surgery.

IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said the situation of transsexuals competing in high-level sports is "rare but becoming more common." IOC medical director Patrick Schamasch said no specific sports had been singled out by the ruling. "Any sport may be touched by this problem," he said. "Until now, we didn't have any rules or regulations. We needed to establish some sort of policy."

Until 1999, the IOC conducted gender verification tests at the Olympics, but the screenings were dropped before the 2000 Sydney Games. One of the best known cases of transsexuals in sports involves Renee Richards, formerly Richard Raskin, who played on the women's tennis tour in the 1970s.

This is awesome to hear... I saw that on the "ticker" running across the bottom of the tv screen this morning, while watching the news. It's great to see that we are making advancements, little by little, as a society, and becoming more acceptive of people in general.

Nothing wrong with it but the whole legally recgonised change of gender is a problem because in the UK you are still regarded as whatever sex you are on your birth certificate I think it is the same in Russia and some other European countries as well as all African countries so if these countries do not legally recognise a gender change does that mena the athletes are screwed?

How can a male who is now a woman compete with women? This is rediculous.
I don't care if you have an operation or not, you are still what ever gender you were born to.

We are getting rediculous as a human race. Next thing you know, gays and lesbians will be allowed to marry.

Arn't gays and lesbians already alloud to marry?.. well in some states? I think this is ridiculous also.

the Olympics. I believe that (us) males have by evolutionary genetics have evolved with genes that promote strength...as I write this I am puzzled by my prejudice against such an idea.
I am as liberal as they come in regards to gay marriage, equal rights, womens lib and other such things but I do believe that men have evolved (by our own devious and dictatorial hands) to be more athletic than our sisters (which I dearly wish wasn't so) but we (as of this time) are. Until such time as women can regularly beat men in athletic endeavors I believe that men (yes that includes those that were born males but have operations to change themselves to females) should not be allowed to compete against females.. I do not believe in visa versa, I believe that the male category of athletic events should be open meaning all can compete including women. (As a fan of Michelle Wie I hope someday she competes in the PGA and kicks
Tiger's butt. (And I am the biggest Tiger fan you will ever meet).

i say that transsexuals should be able to compete. after the operation they're biologically the gender they chose to be, so it doesn't really matter. as for gay marriage, i think that should be allowed everywhere; love matters, the gender of the two people getting married shouldn't even be that focused on.

Sugarxspice79 ...does this mean you condone Steroids??? because someone born a man would naturally have more testosterone than a female and Steroids are basically testosterone. (one male athlete was already thrown out of the Olympics for having a higher testosterone than is naturally possible.

Someone born a man and being changed into a women would have been taking female hormanes since they were about 12. So their testosterone levels would only be marginally higher than a natural woman.

For all you women on the forum. Do you think men who think they are women should be allowed into your bathrooms while you are in there taking care of your monthly task?
Do you thnk they can relate to mestrual problems in a way that should allow them access to your personal care taking? What exactly do they know and how much do they need to be involved?
Do you need a unisex bathroom now because they can't make up their mind?

What is to stop a parent from changing the gender of their children if we allow this to continue?

You liberals are all nuts.

blehhhhhhh

unfair unfair unfair.

It used to be in the 1970's that every competitor have a sex test for this very reason....there was a man who posed as a woman and had his medal revoked....

Not sure when or if this stopped. And if so, why? As if 20 or so years would make a difference.

Besides, there are the Gay Olympics (Games), and I am sure they would let them compete there.