Arrr! Aye, ye heard it right, mateys! They be addin' a newfangled 'open category' for transgender scallywags at the World Cup in Germany! Arrr, the seas be changin' indeed!
2023-08-16
Arrr, me hearties! World Aquatics be proclamin' that they be addin' a newfangled open category to the World Cup in Berlin this October. And mark ye well, they be changin' their notion 'bout includin' transgender folks last year, me mateys.
The Berlin Swimming World Cup will be the first event to introduce an "open category" to accommodate transgender swimmers, according to World Aquatics. Last year, World Aquatics faced backlash for essentially barring transgender athletes from competing against the gender they identify as. However, the organization announced its plan to create an "open category" and it is set to debut on October 6-8. World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam expressed his gratitude to the team of experts who worked to make this opportunity a reality. The open category will feature 50-meter and 100-meter races across all strokes, with competitors participating in timed trials over two days. To be eligible for the open category, swimmers need to have an affiliation with a national federation and can participate individually, for their club, team, or as national federation members. The specific entry requirements and times will be announced at a later date. This development follows the emergence of transgender swimmers such as Lia Thomas, who became the first transgender swimmer to win a women's championship in the 2022 NCAA Championships. Yale swimmer Iszac Henig also came out as a transgender male in 2021 but continued to swim on the Yale women's team without undergoing hormone therapy. The Berlin Swimming World Cup's introduction of the open category marks a significant step towards inclusivity in the sport, allowing transgender swimmers to compete in a category that aligns with their gender identity. It demonstrates World Aquatics' commitment to providing equal opportunities for all participants.