Team GB Olympian Mara Yamauchi has warned that the passing of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill in Scotland will see women in sport ‘quit in their droves’. The proposed bill is currently being debated in the Scottish Parliament.
If passed, the bill will aim to help make it quicker and easier for people wanting to change sex, without having to provide medical reports or evidence. This could therefore make it easier for athletes who are biologically male compete in female events.
Despite the worries, Holyrood's human rights and civil justice committee heard two senior male executives of sports organisations funded or part-funded by the Scottish Government claim that, if passed, the bill would not ‘significantly impact’ sport.
Yamauchi though is less than convinced, and has revealed she is willing to testify to the committee and argue that it would in fact have a negative impact on female sport. She told Sportsmail : “These changes will make it impossible for sports authorities to enforce single sex sports.
“If this bill passes, people will be entitled to change their legal sex by self-declaration. A biological male might turn up at a sports club demanding to participate in female sport and, if challenged, could show a birth certificate that says female on it so that it becomes impossible for sports bodies - bearing in mind that many of the people involved are volunteers - to enforce sports categories by birth sex.”
With the passing of the bill set to make it easier for people to change their sex, numbers of changes are expected to increase, and Yamauchi expects the same to happen in female sport. She added: “And because it will become easier for people to change their sex legally, I think it's reasonable to imagine that the numbers of males demanding inclusion in the female category will increase.
“If they accept that a Scottish GRC (gender recognition certificate) is valid in the rest of the UK, then the situation I have described could unfold across the UK. We could have many more males identifying as women and expecting to participate in the female category of sport.
“More and more sports bodies will face the challenge of trying to enforce single-sex sport. That will be impossible.” The 48-year-old - who finished sixth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics - believes an increase in biological males competing will have a ‘devastating’ effect on female sport, and put ‘thousands’ off competing.
“It really is devastating for women's sport. Every male who competes in the female category potentially affects thousands of female athletes,” commented Yamauchi. “Many young girls will be thinking, “blimey, is this coming to my club? What's the point of me training if it is?’”
The issue of transgender athletes competing has become a huge topic of debate. Trans swimmer Lia Thomas broke a number of records in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's championships in Atlanta, which led to some arguing she held an unfair advantage. Trans cyclist Emily Bridges was also prevented from competing in the female category, with a ban being imposed by the UCI.
