2024 is an Olympics year with the games to be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11. Thankfully tighter restrictions have been placed on all competitions in an attempt to ensure fairness and safety for women.

The restrictions do not go far enough though. Males who medically ‘transition’ prior to age 12 are still allowed to compete in the female category.

Previously, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had issued guidelines that allowed any transgender athlete to compete as a woman as long as their testosterone levels were below 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 months before their first competition. However, the current requirements have been changed to avoid disadvantaging cisgender women.

(Note: the term “cisgender women” is completely unnecessary and simply refers to women.)

The previous requirements regarding reduction of testosterone levels was never fair in any case, as they do not negate the countless advantages males have in sporting competitions. They have greater blood volume, larger heart and lung capacity, a different skeletal structure, larger hands and feet, and many other biological advantages.

There are male and female categories for a reason, and it is not simply because of testosterone.

While it may exclude a lot of trans identified athletes from female competition, some, in time, would be able to compete.

What is the point of having male and female categories if the boundary line is going to be constantly moving?

A human or either male or female.

There is no third sex. No third gamete, only make-believe.

Occasionally a male is born with female sex characteristics. Occasionally a female is born with male sex characteristics. It doesn’t change the fact of their sex though. A person is either male or female.

The only fair and safe sporting policy is to divide athletes into male or female categories. There can be open or mixed competitions that allow participants to compete with full knowledge and consent of who they are up against.

It is time to stop defining female categories as women’s sport if males are allowed to participate.

There should be no concessions at all. No-one is being excluded, they are simply being required to compete according to their biological category – male or female.