American swimmer Lia Thomas says she didn’t transition to gain a competitive advantage.Credit:AP
McKeon said on Wednesday that she had faith that FINA,which has promised to deploy a clear and simple transgender policy,would ensure fairness remained paramount to elite competition.
“I’m for fair sport and I trust in the governing bodies that they will make it fair for everyone,” McKeon said at the launch of the Speedo racing and training suits for the Commonwealth Games.
Olympic champion freestyler Ariarne Titmus said she didn’t fear racing transgender athletes,because anyone on the blocks was a rival. But she said she hoped the FINA rules would be fair for elite swimmers as well as ensure everyone can enjoy the sport.
“I see anyone as a rival. I feel like it has to be fair for everyone and decisions have to be made to make it fair for everyone,” Titmus said.
“I love swimming. Everyone here loves swimming. Hopefully FINA come up with rules that make it fair and enjoyable for everyone. We want everyone to enjoy swimming in the fairest way possible and I hope that is taken into account.”
Thomas said trans athletes did not threaten the status quo in women’s sport and far too much had been made of her victory at NCAA level.
“Trans women competing in women’s sports does not threaten women’s sports as a whole,” Thomas said. “Trans women are a very small minority of all athletes. The NCAA rules regarding trans women competing in women’s sports have been around for 10-plus years. And we haven’t seen any massive wave of trans women dominating.
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“It’s no different than a cis[a person who identifies as the sex they were assigned at birth] woman taking a spot on a travel team or a scholarship. It’s a part of athletics,where people are competing against each other. It’s not taking away opportunities from cis women,really. Trans women are women,so it’s still a woman who is getting that scholarship or that opportunity.”