Boxing New Zealand supports open category in Olympic style boxing

The physical advantage of a male boxer over a female boxer is significant says Boxing New Zealand. Photosport

Boxing New Zealand have followed suit with other sports and plans to create an open category for Olympic boxing events which will avoid males who have transitioned to female to fight against other women.

Citing the safety and fairness of female boxers, the decision matches other sporting organisations including the World Rugby and World Triathlon.

Individual sports are taking the lead because of the International Olympic Committee framework that was introduced last November and went into effect in March placed all sports in charge of their own rules regarding testosterone. It replaced an IOC policy that had allowed transgender women who had been on hormone replacement therapy for at least 12 months to compete in the Olympics against other women.

"Like the position many other sports find themselves in, this comes after a period of considerable consideration and discussion about how best to include people who do not identify as their biological sex, whilst upholding the right for safe and fair competition for all participants," a release by Boxing New Zealand said.

"Boxing is a combat sport, where strength, stamina, and physique has a significant impact on both the safety of, and fairness for competitors. There is potential for injury or worse if the margins of safety are breached. This is why boxing has sex specific, age specific and weight specific categories to maximise the inclusion of as many people as possible in this great sport, while also prioritizing safe and fair competition for all.

"Alongside many other New Zealand sporting bodies, Boxing New Zealand has participated in Sport New Zealand's recent consultation on their draft guidelines for transgender inclusion in community sport. As part of this process Boxing New Zealand raised concerns with Sport New Zealand about their advocacy for sex self-identification (allowing an individual to self-identify into the sex category of their choice even if they have not undertaken any form of medical transition)."

In June, swimming's governing body, FINA announced new policy which bans for all transgender women from elite competitions if they didn't begin medical treatment to suppress testosterone production before either the onset of puberty or by age 12, whichever comes later.

International Rugby League also barred transgender women from women's matches until more studies allow for the sport's regulators to come up with a cohesive inclusion policy.

And the International Cycling Union updated its eligibility rules for transgender athletes in June; increasing the period during which transgender athletes on women's teams must lower their testosterone level to two years rather than one.

FIFA, which runs football, said it is "currently reviewing its gender eligibility regulations in consultation with expert stakeholders."

"Our priority first and foremost is the safety of competitors in our sport, all competitors, regardless of any sexual persuasion or gender preference. We wish to continue to provide an environment where people benefit from rules that allow for fair and safe competition," said President of Boxing New Zealand Steve Hartley.

The release said the rules were consistent with the other Boxing New Zealand rules and procedures in place to preserve safety and fair competition while maximizing inclusion.

"The physical advantage of a male boxer over a female boxer is significant, and the current evidence is that even if a male has taken to steps to suppress testosterone this will never fully reverse the effects of a testosterone fuelled puberty on their strength, stamina, and physique. For example, there is an average 160 percent advantage in punching force for a male vs a female boxer. Allowing any male, regardless of how he identifies, to box against a female would be to actively accept that the physical safety of a female boxer is worth less than the wishes of a male boxer to be included in the sex category they identify with," the release said.

"The safety of, and fairness for, female boxers is not up for negotiation and Boxing New Zealand will not be implementing gender self-identification in the Male or Female categories. We will not allow male people who have undergone puberty and who may be undertaking a medical transition to participate in the female category given the evidence around retained advantage.

"Nor will Boxing NZ allow people who may be undertaking a medical transition or have transitioned from female to male, to participate in the male or female category."

Open Class:

· A person born female who identifies as male and has undertaken or is in the process of a medical transition.
· A person born male who identifies as female and may or may not have undertaken or is in the process of a medical transition post-puberty.
· A person who does not qualify for either the male or the female category.

- With AP