World Athletics has announced that male-to-female transgender athletes will not be permitted to compete in international female rankings events.
Citing "more than ten years of research and evidence" into advantages held by such athletes, no competitor who has transitioned to female after going through male puberty can compete in female World Rankings events.
The regulations will come into effect from March 31, 2023, and athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) must also produce fewer than 2.5 nanomoles of testosterone per litre for 24 months to take part in any female competition.
Previous restrictions only applied to races ranging from 400m to one mile, and a Working Group will continue to delve deeper into the debate surrounding transgender participation into athletics during the next 12 months.
A statement from World Athletics President Lord Sebastien Coe read: "Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations.
"We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and male advantage which will inevitably develop over the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the female category in athletics is paramount."
The move follows World Aquatics' decision to ban transgender swimmers from female competitions last year, while the UCI also toughened regulations on testosterone levels in elite cycling events.
Ben Knapton
