Olympic swimming icon Ian Thorpe has slammed the sport's governing body for ruling that transgender women can't compete in women’s races unless they transitioned before the age of 12.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) plan to establish an 'open category' that trans-women would be able to compete in. However, five-time Olympic gold medallist Thorpe, who is an an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, believes that the governing body has got the decision wrong.
"This is a very complicated issue, I can't deny that, and I am personally opposed to the position FINA has taken on this," Thorpe told 1 News .
"I am for fairness in sport, but I'm also for equality in sport. And in this instance, they've actually got it wrong."
Thorpe retired in 2012 after winning gold medals at both the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympics. Earlier this year Lia Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win the highest US national college title with the University of Pennsylvania swimmer winning the women's 500-yard freestyle.
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Members of FINA voted through the rule changes with a majority of around 71 per cent of the 152 national voting federations. Thorpe thinks that more professionals should have been consulted before a decision was made by FINA to ban transgender athletes.
He added: "When it comes to the elite level, there needs to be a sensible conversation which includes endocrinologists, psychologists, physiologists - everyone that actually may have an opinion in this space.
"If someone is complaining about someone who is trans when they happen to be 10 years of age, it is bizarre. I can almost promise you that child will not be competing at an adult stage."
Other sports have followed the FIA and triathlon banned transgender women from female events before rugby codes did the same. British Cycling also made the decision to ban transgender athletes from competing in its events by suspending its policy.
The country's governing body had initially cleared transgender cyclist Emily Bridges to ride in her first elite women's race earlier this year before cycling's world governing body stepped in to ban the 21-year-old from racing in the British National Omnium Championships.
