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11-13-03, 11:04 PM
IOC to allow transsexual athletes in Olympics
By STEPHEN WILSON, AP Sports Writer
November 13, 2003
LONDON (AP) -- Athletes who have undergone sex change operations will be eligible to compete in the Olympics for the first time under new rules being finalized by the IOC.
The International Olympic Committee convened a meeting in Sweden last month of medical experts in the field and will announce its policy in the next few weeks.
``We will have no discrimination,'' IOC medical director Patrick Schamasch told The Associated Press on Thursday. ``The IOC will respect human rights.''
Details are still being worked out, but Schamasch said transsexual athletes will be eligible for the Olympics once they have passed a certain amount of time after sex-change surgery.
``The trend is to have an ineligibility period,'' he said. ``Then after certain conditions have been fulfilled, the athlete will be able to compete in his or her new sex.''
The exact length of the waiting period hasn't been determined. Schamasch said officials want to make sure that any side effects of hormone therapy have worn off.
Schamasch said he didn't know whether there were any potential transsexual athletes in line to compete in next summer's Athens Olympics, but noted that several international sports federations have asked the IOC for guidance.
``We need to be proactive,'' he said.
The rule covers both male-to-female and female-to-male cases.
Some contend transsexual athletes have a physical advantage against other women. Men have higher levels of testosterone and 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.........
So which team do they compete on? As their former sex or current? Full story here (http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpNWZic251BF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0 aA--?slug=ap-transsexualathletes&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By STEPHEN WILSON, AP Sports Writer
November 13, 2003
LONDON (AP) -- Athletes who have undergone sex change operations will be eligible to compete in the Olympics for the first time under new rules being finalized by the IOC.
The International Olympic Committee convened a meeting in Sweden last month of medical experts in the field and will announce its policy in the next few weeks.
``We will have no discrimination,'' IOC medical director Patrick Schamasch told The Associated Press on Thursday. ``The IOC will respect human rights.''
Details are still being worked out, but Schamasch said transsexual athletes will be eligible for the Olympics once they have passed a certain amount of time after sex-change surgery.
``The trend is to have an ineligibility period,'' he said. ``Then after certain conditions have been fulfilled, the athlete will be able to compete in his or her new sex.''
The exact length of the waiting period hasn't been determined. Schamasch said officials want to make sure that any side effects of hormone therapy have worn off.
Schamasch said he didn't know whether there were any potential transsexual athletes in line to compete in next summer's Athens Olympics, but noted that several international sports federations have asked the IOC for guidance.
``We need to be proactive,'' he said.
The rule covers both male-to-female and female-to-male cases.
Some contend transsexual athletes have a physical advantage against other women. Men have higher levels of testosterone and 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.........
So which team do they compete on? As their former sex or current? Full story here (http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpNWZic251BF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0 aA--?slug=ap-transsexualathletes&prov=ap&type=lgns)