Ian Thorpe rips FINA's transgender stance

2 years ago 94

Australian swimming fable Ian Thorpe has deed retired astatine the sport's governing assemblage FINA for its determination to prohibition transgender athletes from competing successful women's events.

FINA has presently banned transgender athletes from competing successful women's races unless they've transitioned anterior to the property of 12.

While the ruling, made past June, was applauded by immoderate of Australia's women's swimming stars specified arsenic Tokyo golden medallists Cate Campbell and Emily Seebohm, Thorpe, a five-time Olympic golden medallist, said helium was "personally opposed" to FINA's position.

"I americium for fairness successful sport, but I'm besides for equality successful sport. And successful this instance, they've really got it wrong," helium told reporters.

Thorpe labelled FINA's determination a "temporary solution" and said concerns astir transgender children successful athletics were "bizarre".

"When it comes to the elite level, determination needs to beryllium a sensible speech which includes endocrinologists, psychologists, physiologists – everyone that really whitethorn person an sentiment successful this space," helium said.

"If idiosyncratic is complaining astir idiosyncratic who is trans erstwhile they hap to beryllium 10 years of age, it is bizarre. I tin astir committedness you that kid volition not beryllium competing astatine an big stage."

Thorpe has go an advocator for LGBTQI groups since ending his swimming career, and has called for extortion of the transgender community, who helium calls "some of the astir marginalised and disadvantaged people" successful Australia.

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