French transgender sprinter decries Olympics ban: 'I cannot understand this decision'
French sprinter Halba Diouf, a transgender woman athlete, dreams of competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Credit: EEW Magazine Online)
EEW NEWS (AIX-EN-PROVENCE) — French sprinter Halba Diouf feels she is being marginalized and hounded after her dream of participating at next year’s Paris Olympics was shattered when World Athletics (WA) banned transgender women from elite female competitions.
The international governing body for athletics says it has banned transgender women from participating in women's sports at the Summer 2024 Paris Olympics to "protect the female category.”
Diouf, born a male, has been training for the 200-meter race and anticipating running for her home country in France. French authorities recognized her change in 2021, but that acknowledgment cannot gain her entry into next summer's games.
"I cannot understand this decision as transgender women have always been allowed to compete if their testosterone levels were below a certain threshold," Diouf told Reuters, sounding off on the WA's decision. She cited previous rules and regulations that said trans women and athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) could run in events between 400 meters and the mile if their levels of natural plasma testosterone is below five nanomoles per liter, and 100-meter and 200-meter sprinters were clear to race.
"The only safeguard transgender women have is their right to live as they wish, and we are being refused that, we are being hounded,” lamented Diouf. “I feel marginalized because they are excluding me from competitions."
The tighter measures imposed by WA have renewed conversation around one of the most contentious and divisive issues in sports – how to balance inclusivity while ensuring there is no unfair advantage. LGBTQI advocacy groups say excluding trans athletes amounts to discrimination, but despite the public outcry, WA at present has no intention of changing its stance.
"Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations," World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said when the decision was made.
In March, World Athletics cut the maximum plasma testosterone levels for the long-distance runs in half, and the level must be maintained for two years before athletes with DSD could participate.
