– It is difficult to accept, says the Norwegian national team athlete Lotte Miller to news. The International Triathlon Union (ITU) recently announced that they will allow transgender people to compete in women’s classes, starting on 2 September. This causes the Norwegian triathlon community to react. – It came as a shock to us. I am most concerned with justice towards the ladies, and I have a hard time seeing that there will be one hundred percent correct and fair competition, says sports manager of the Norwegian Triathlon Association, Arild Tveiten, to news. He continues: – The girls on the team have a clear opinion that it can open up unfair competition and that it can go beyond them. That claim is confirmed by Miller, who thinks the whole situation is difficult. – It’s that we all have to compete on equal terms. I respect all people, but I also respect my competitors and the sport I am a part of. We believe that everyone is on an equal footing at the starting line, she says. COMPETING: The Norwegian national team is currently in Munich where they took part in the EC. Photo: Synne Sofie Christiansen / news Send letter The decision, which 15 out of 17 members of the International Federation voted for, has been met with opposition from several quarters. The British Triathlon Union, with ITU vice-president Ian Howard at the head, was one of two that did not agree on the decision to open to transgender people. Along with Howard, the president of the athletes’ committee, Tamas Toth, also voted against the proposal. The two believe that the decision has received a bad response from several athletes. Sports director Tveiten also claims that several athletes are against the decision. – All international athletes have expressed that they do not think it is the right way to go, says sports manager Tveiten. DEBATE: – We know that the association has done a good job in the assessments they have made, but I know that the athletes are very much against it, says Arild Tveiten. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy / news Discontent among the athletes was used as an argument when the British Triathlon Federation sent out a letter to several federations – which Norway also received. – They were not the same in the process. They thought the athletes were listened to too little, says Anette Brurås, president of the Norwegian Triathlon Association, to news. – What position do they have to take on it? – We are waiting and will continuously assess developments around this topic. It is important not to make hasty decisions about this topic. These are complex issues, he replies. The decision means that transpersons who want to compete in the women’s class must document a testosterone level of less than 2.5 nanomoles per liter for a period of at least two years. In addition, at least four years must have passed since a race in a men’s or boys’ class, regardless of sport. According to Helsebiblioteket.no, normal testosterone levels are 0.4 to 2.0 nanomoles per liter in women. – It is a difficult balance between justice and inclusion. The Triathlon Association is very concerned with inclusion. They have the same prize money, the same distances and so on. That’s why I think they have settled on inclusion, says Brurås. – Surraska Triathlonforbundet is one of the first confederations to open up for transgender participation in the women’s class. When the decision was announced, ITU President Marisol Casado stated that “they prioritize the principle of justice, but also show that they are inclusive”. Tveiten thinks the decision is surprising and premature, while admitting that he has looked too little into the matter – I must say that I am surprised that it came so quickly in triathlon. We were actually the first. We have never experienced this discussion at an international top level before. I think it might be a bit premature, says the sports manager before continuing: – Perhaps one should have let some of the other confederations, who have more experience and more athletes, be a little at the forefront. news has tried to get a comment from the International Triathlon Union (ITU) on Tveiten’s comments, initially without success.
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