Paralympics president opposed to transgender ‘blanket solutions’

The International Paralympic Committee president claims that his organization opposes “blanket solutions” for policies governing transgender participation.

After Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing transgender women from competing in female sports categories, Andrew Parsons made the remarks.

Seb Coe, the presidential candidate for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), supported the move last week and has also suggested that he might consider enacting a blanket ban if elected the following month.

“One thing that is important to us of course is to protect the female category, this is the number one priority”, Parsons told BBC Sport.

However, we also need to bear in mind that transgender athletes are becoming more popular [and] want to compete at the highest level.

I think science is the best way to bring everything together, but I don’t think a one-size-fits-all approach is possible because I don’t think sports are unique.

“At the moment you have ‘ mixed sports’, like equestrian for example. Therefore, I don’t support blanket solutions to such a challenging issue, especially since sports require a lot from athletes.

Current guidelines for transgender athletes are established by the IOC and IPC.

World Athletics has toughened the regulations governing the participation of athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) and banned transgender women from competing in the female category under Coe’s presidency.

However, a person who is legally recognized as a woman is permitted to compete in the category where their impairment qualifies them under World Para Athletics’ rules.

Valentina Petrillo, an Italian runner, became the first openly transgender athlete to compete at the Paralympics last year in Paris.

“When it comes to the IOC and IPC, we are different organisations with different governance models”, said Parsons.

In terms of autonomy, “we took various decisions on significant decisions in the past, and this will continue to be the case.”

Trump has also stated that he will not grant transgender women the right to apply for visas to enter the US when they compete in female events at the LA 2028 Games.

When asked for his response, Parsons responded, “Of course, we still have three years to go,” adding that each international federation (IF) has the authority to decide those matters in terms of rules and regulations. We will collaborate with the organizing committee to ensure that all IF rules are adhered to.

When it comes to visas and the Games, “this is an operational issue.” We must examine the evidence and measures to determine how to proceed with making the appropriate decisions.

The IPC criticized Trump in 2018 for calling the Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics “a little difficult to watch.”

Asked how he felt about Trump’s return to the White House, Parsons said the president is “a massive sports fan and very competitive, so I’m sure he wants the Games to be successful”.

He continued, “We believe that he will contribute to the success of the Games, and the Games will give us the opportunity to make a breakthrough in the US, make the Paralympic movement more relevant in the US, and then spark change there.”

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, athletes from the two nations were permitted to compete in the Paris Paralympics as neutrals despite officials’ objections to a full ban.

When asked whether recent hopes for a ceasefire, peace, and the end of the conflict could result in the country’s winter paralympics in Italy next year, Parsons responded, “We are aware of the discussions taking place – not for sport reasons, but for the people of Ukraine.”