Emma McKeon says sport will 'have to deal with' transgender ...

Share article. Facebook · Twitter · Email · Flipboard. Al Bello/Getty Images. Olympic gold medalist Emma McKeon spoke about transgender ... Browsernotcompatible. Search Search Win$150,000bycompetingintheJWSBracketChallenge.Signup. Swimming/ News April21,2022-EmmaHruby EmmaMcKeonsayssportwill‘havetodealwith’transgenderparticipation Share topstories AngelCitysignsgymnastJordanChilestoNILdeal JinYoungKo,NasaHataokasharesecond-roundleadinLAOpen ArikeOgunbowaleontransitiontoWNBA:‘Iwantedtodominate’ IgaSwiatekoverpowersEmmaRaducanutoextendwinningstreak SubscribeToOurNewsletter. Sharearticle Email AlBello/GettyImages OlympicgoldmedalistEmmaMcKeonspokeabouttransgenderathletesincompetitionataneventheldbyGriffithUniversityinAustraliaonWednesday. “Imean,Ipersonallywouldn’twanttoberacingagainstsomeonewhoisbiologicallyamale,sothat’saconcern,”theAustralianswimmersaid.“It’snotanewthing,butit’snewinthatsport,swimming,aregoingtohavetodealwithit.” McKeonbecamethefirstwomanswimmertoearnsevenmedalsinasingleOlympicslastsummerinTokyo. Thedebatesurroundingtheparticipationoftransgenderathleteshasgrowninrecentmonths,especiallyinthewakeofLiaThomasbecomingthefirsttransgenderwomantowinanNCAAtitleinMarch.Many,includingOlympicsilvermedalistEricaSullivan,havespokenoutinsupportofThomas,butothershavealsospokenoutagainstherparticipationinwomen’scompetitions. MultipleRepublican-ledstateshavepassedanti-transgenderlegislationinrecentmonths,banningtransgenderathletesfromcompetinginschool-sanctionedgirls’sports.WhileUtahGov.SpencerCoxvetoedsuchabillinmid-March,callingthescience“conflicting,”thestatelegislaturelateroverturnedtheveto. “Nowthatit’sagrowingthing,thesporthastothinkabouthowtohandleitandhowtodealwithit,”McKeonsaid.“Becauseyoudowanttobeinclusive,butyoudon’twanttohavefemalesracingagainstswimmerswhoarebiologicallymalebecauseit’sjustnotfair.” Inresponse,SwimmingAustraliapresidentTracyStockwelltoldABCSportthattheAustraliansport’sgoverningbodyhadbeenworkingouthowtoaddresstheissueoverthepasttwoyears.Sheadmittedtheycoulddomoretoprovideclarityaroundtransgenderathleteparticipation. “We’vedonealotofconsultationoverthelasttwoyearsandalotofworkinthisarea,butalsomorediscussionneedstobehad,”shesaid.“Weareaninclusivesport.Wehaveadiversityandinclusivepolicy,butalsoneedtoensurefairnessforallofourathletesaswell.” Currently,theInternationalOlympicCommitteeadvisesthatsportsconsiderinclusionoftransgenderathletesonacase-by-casebasis,particularlyinindividualsports. SubscribeToOurNewsletter. Sharearticle Email SubscribeToOurNewsletter. SubscribeToOurNewsletter. signup Sharearticle Email Relatedreads EmmaHruby -Apr21,2022 U.S.,AustraliatofaceoffinDuelinthePooleventthissummer Theeventwilltakeplaceinmid-August. Readmore ClareBrennan -Mar20,2022 KateDouglassbreaksLilyKing’s200breaststrokeAmerican,NCAArecord Douglasssetthreenewrecordsinthreedifferentstrokes. Readmore ClareBrennan -Mar20,2022 Virginiawinssecond-straightNCAAtitleinwomen’sswimminganddiving VirginiafinishedaheadofTexasandStanfordforthetitle. Readmore ClareBrennan -Mar19,2022 EricaSullivanspeaksoutinsupportofLiaThomas SullivanfinishedthirdinThomas'nationaltitle-winningrace. Readmore ClosePop-up sharethisarticle Email ClosePop-up Women’ssports,straighttoyourinbox Getarundownofthetophighlights,stories,andeventsinwomen’ssports,includingcan’t-missgamesandexclusivefeatures. ClosePop-up Entertowin$150,000 EntertheJWSBracketChallengeforyourchancetowin$150,000. Signup