At the extraordinary congress of FINA, after several months of scientific, legal and social preparatory work, it proposes the establishment of a new category for transgender athletes in the field of competitive sports, while maintaining inclusivity in the field of mass sports and hobby sports.
Thomas Bach, the president of the IOC, was also present, who highlighted Budapest's commitment to exceptional sports and said: the time has not yet come to lift the sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Thomas Bach praised Budapest
IOC President Thomas Bach, who was also invited as a guest of honor, arrived at the World Championships as a special guest of the FINA extraordinary congress held in the event hall of Puskás Aréna, who gave a speech after the opening remarks of President Husain Al Musallam and Deputy Minister Balázs Fürjes, member of the FINA Executive Committee.
Balázs Fürjes pointed out that the first world record has probably already been set in Budapest by the fact that, with unprecedented speed, in just four months, Budapest - and with the involvement of rural water polo qualifiers Szeged, Sopron and Debrecen - Hungary organized the 19th FINA World Water Championships.
As a board member of the organization, he also announced a brand new initiative, according to which our country plans to launch a special scholarship program for the international swimming community so that young foreign talents can study and play sports in Hungary. He also mentioned that Budapest was not only ready to host in 2017 and this year, but is always ready when it comes to sports.
At the very beginning of his speech, Thomas Bach emphasized how evident the commitment to outstanding sports is, which he experiences every time he visits Budapest. Hungarians are excellent hosts
and the only reason he does not wish much success for the organization is because it was already evident on the first day that the World Cup will be an excellent event and rather he wants everyone present to enjoy the great organization.
Thomas Bach mentioned several topics, for example, that the two organizations could renew the cooperation between the IOC and FINA if FINA joined the working group against climate change.
He expressed his pleasure that FINA, following the recommendations of the IOC, joined the sanctions, with which Russian and Belarusian athletes are excluded from international competitions due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The time has not yet come to lift the sanctions regarding the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes, but I hope that the world will finally give peace a chance as soon as possible"
Thomas Bach concluded his thoughts on the topic.
FINA and the transgender debate have reached a new chapter
Among the many topics of FINA's extraordinary congress, one of the most eagerly awaited initiatives based on the studies of the scientific, legal and competitor working groups was the issue of transgender athletes and women's sports, as well as the proposals made in the name of inclusivity. In connection with the topic, a medical and scientific working group, a legal working group, and a competitor working group were also set up, which carried out professional research on the topic for several months.
American and Australian Olympic champion swimmers also stood up for the right of biological women to fair competition
US Olympic swimming champion Summer Sanders, mother of two children, and four-time Australian Olympic swimming champion Cate Campbell said in their own speech on the subject that with all their respect, respecting the relationship of transgender people to their own gender,
in order to preserve women's sport and fair competition, it is in the interest of the sport that women who are born biologically female compete against their competitors who are also biologically female.
One of the most important medical and sports physiology summaries of the studies conducted on the subject showed that the hormonal development during puberty and the excess testosterone released in the body of people born biologically male represent a significant transformation and a physical advantage over the development of the female body, which cannot be compensated by testosterone suppression. The difference can be seen in the lung capacity, the size of the heart, the diameter of the muscles, the size of the limbs and so much more. Therefore, there can be no real level playing field in competitive sports for women and transgender women.
Therefore, in order to preserve and respect fair competition, FINA will recommend that a so-called new category be introduced in the future for transgender athletes.
After the presentation of the scientific research and working groups, President Al Mussalam also initiated another working group to deal with the details of the development of the new category, and he also highlighted that in hobby and mass sports, at the same time, inclusivity is extremely important, there is a place for all talented people who want to play sports.
Featured image: fina-budapest2022
