Title:
Transgender Swimmer in College Athletics
Authors:
Jonathon W. Senefeld, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
Sandra K. Hunter, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Doriane Lambelet Coleman, Duke University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Michael J. Joyner, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota, USA
Published:
medRxiv, 30 December 2021
Note:
This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.
Abstract:
There is current scientific and legal controversy about sports competition eligibility regulations for transgender athletes. To better understand and contextualize the effect of androgen-suppression treatment on swimming performance, we compared the gender-related differences in performance of a transgender swimmer who competed in both the male and female NCAA (collegiate) categories to the sex-related differences in performance of world and national class swimmers. These data demonstrate that the gender-related differences in middle distance freestyle performances of a transgender woman are smaller than the observed sex-related differences in performance of top athletes. Our analysis may be useful as a framework for regulators considering participation guidelines which promote fair competition for all athletes, whether cisgender or transgender.