Coe fears for equity in women's sports against transgender competitors

The president of the International Athletics Federation (World Athletics), Sebastian Coe, expressed his fear that women's sport will be weakened by the participation of transgender competitors.

“The integrity of women's sport, if we don't take action for its future, is very fragile,” the president of world athletics told the British newspaper The Times on Tuesday.

According to the former midfield runner, beyond social debates and ethical issues, the presence of transgender athletes in competitions poses a problem for ensuring equal opportunity.

“Gender cannot win over biology,” he said.

“We must rely as much as possible on science,” Coe insists, for whom “there is no doubt that the (rate of) testosterone is the key determinant of performance.”

“This is what we have always tried to do when the issue was thorny,” added the president of World Athletics.

The regulations of the International Athletics Federation in this matter indicate that a transgender athlete must prove that she has a very low testosterone level in the year prior to the competition in which she wants to participate, by regularly providing medical documents during those twelve months.

Coe's words come a few days after Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, participated in the American college championships in Atlanta, where she won the 500 yards in freestyle with more than a second and a half over the second.

The case of Lia Thomas, who in the past competed in men's events, has generated division in public opinion in the United States. His detractors believe that he has an unfair physiological advantage.

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