The UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem, told News that she believes the findings would affect state and sports policies.
One of the trickiest and most contentious topics in sports is the participation of transgender women or athletes with higher testosterone levels in women’s events.
While LGBT+ activists call for sports to promote inclusivity, Ms. Alsalem is worried about the potential physical risks that women in sports may face if individuals who were assigned male at birth are permitted to play in the same sports, particularly football.
After expressing concerns to News in August about the risks of testosterone advantage in women’s competitions during the Olympics in Paris, Ms. Alsalem has now turned in a report to the UN.
According to the special rapporteur’s findings, “sports have operated on the widely acknowledged tenet that equal, fair, and safe opportunities in sports require a separate category for females.”
