Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies has publicly called upon the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reintroduce mandatory gender screening for all athletes. She made this significant appeal on Tuesday in London during the launch of the new Women's Sports Union, an initiative she started alongside sailing icon Tracy Edwards.
The Paris 2024 Controversy That Reignited the Debate
Davies stated that the urgency for this change has been amplified by the recent athlete eligibility debate, which intensified during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The focus was on boxers Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan, who both secured gold medals. This victory came after both athletes were reportedly removed from the 2023 World Championships for failing previous gender eligibility tests.
Under the current framework used by the IOC, an athlete's eligibility is determined solely by the gender marker on their passport. Davies criticised this system, labelling it as unclear and a source of numerous disputes and arguments throughout the Paris Games, which were held in July and August of 2024.
Beyond Transgender Rules: The Critical Issue of DSD Athletes
In an interview with Daily Mail Sport, Sharron Davies emphasised that the IOC's focus must extend beyond transgender participation rules to include athletes with Differences in Sexual Development (DSD). She described the DSD issue as "even more important" in the current sporting landscape.
To support her argument, she cited a World Athletics study which discovered that between 50 and 60 DSD athletes accounted for a staggering 135 placements in major finals between the years 2000 and 2023. Davies pointed out that this data was the primary driver behind World Athletics President Sebastian Coe's decision to reinstate gender screening in their sport.
"This is a big problem. It is not only about transgender athletes. DSD cases are the bigger issue," Davies stated. She also expressed concern that the immense value of an Olympic gold medal could incentivise some countries to potentially exploit such cases for a competitive advantage. She referenced reports about "East German doctors" being tasked with finding DSD athletes, noting this is a known narrative within international sports circles.
A Call for Action and Legal Compliance
Sharron Davies is advocating for the IOC to resume cheek-swab gender tests, a practice that was discontinued back in 1999. "Women's sport has been under attack for a long time. We need gender screening again," she asserted. She proposed a competitive model featuring one open category for all participants and a separate category exclusively for biological women.
Co-founder Tracy Edwards also addressed the gathering, explaining that the Women's Sports Union aims to support female athletes at every stage of their careers. She highlighted a significant April ruling by England's Supreme Court, which decreed that the term "gender" in sports must be defined by biological sex. Edwards revealed that more than 30 sports governing bodies in England are still not adhering to this legal judgement.
"We need every sport to follow the law. Right now, many are not doing that," Edwards added, underscoring the need for widespread compliance.
