Canada: Pushing the boundaries in sport on gender rules

Sports in Canada is about to undergo a big transition, if the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) has anything to say about it.

The group released a report Oct 23 that makes numerous ground breaking recommendations on gender expression and identity. It suggests that all levels of sports associations should let players compete as whatever gender they identify as.

The 35-page report, entitled Sport in Transition: Making Sport in Canada More Responsible for Gender Inclusivity, will surely shake up the discussion around gender identity in a field that has recently found itself facing some tough decisions about how to classify gender.

Just before London’s games, the International Olympic Committee drafted new regulations that set testosterone levels À“ not an athlete’s self-identification À“ as the metric for determining gender. That decision was born out of controversy, after South African runner Caster Semenya’s sex was called into question during a 2009 competition in Germany. The track and field governing body required her to undergo “gender testing.”

South African Caster Semenya was forced to undergo “gender testing” in 2009.(Erik van Leeuwen) This report is looking to ensure that does not happen in Canada.

The report looks to eliminate “fairness” as a barrier to stop intersex and transgender people from competing. Click here to read more