Research Document on Sex, Gender and Inclusion in Elite Sport

17:49 Publication - The 23rd of February, this meta-study for the Dutch Olympic Committee * Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) on evidence-based research into the correlation between sex, gender and sport, was launched by NOC*NSF. ESPRIT was asked to support NOC*NSF in mapping the international, highly polarized debate on gender inclusion in sport, to facilitate both scientifically validated, and consistently elaborated policy in Dutch elite sport competition. The meta-study shows for instance, that there is little research on trans women and their presumed higher level of athletic performance. The few studies available, state there is no reason to exclude trans women who have undergone hormone replacement therapy from competing in the women's category. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and many international sports federations, still tend to impose strict regulations on both trans women and women with an intersex condition, to allow them to compete in the women's category. These regulations are mostly not based on evidence-based research but on what people think they know about trans women and women with high testosterone levels. In general, this meta-study implies that the tradition of separating women and men in sports, based on the presumption that women are weak and need protection, needs to be reconsidered.