MADRID, 19 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Marisol Casado, Asunción Loriente and Amanda Gutiérrez, presidents of World Triathlon, the Spanish Rowing Federation and the FUTPRO union respectively, recognized this Tuesday the problems that the inclusion of transgender women in sport brings and the risk of falling into any type of discrimination.
“The IOC has given us federations a vote of confidence in this case, it believes that we are strong enough. We need supporting information when making this decision. On August 3 we have an Executive Committee meeting at World Triathlon dedicated expressly to this issue and we are probably going to make a decision,” said Casado, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at the Europa Press ‘Sports Breakfasts’ sponsored by DAZN, Unicaja, LAE and Repsol.
The leader recalled that she has been “dedicated to gender equality issues for 20 years” and that “it is going to be a really complicated issue to have to legislate against women in part.” “The triathlon has been characterized by equality and a very strong inclusion, and in this situation we are very sorry because we are going to have to pull to one side or the other,” she admitted.
“One of my strengths is that I have always been a very flexible person and I believe that although we must have a regulation, it will not be the definitive one, it will be impossible because we do not have data. We have carried out surveys of the national federations and we do not have people transgender who are competing in the elite. My proposal will probably be to make sure that women are not going to suffer and then we will work as we have the cases, “he said.
LORIENTE: “IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGES”
For her part, Asunción Loriente, the only president of a Spanish Olympic federation, warned that this is a “complicated and delicate issue.” “Some international federation has already positioned itself, but the World Rowing Federation has not, and in the Spanish one we have not had any case or any requirement,” she detailed.
“Someone will always feel discriminated against, but it is a real problem that will affect us all,” said the Asturian, who gave as an example that in the last round of the World Cup the last classified of a Final B had been much faster than the first classified in Final A of the same modality.
In any case, she is clear that “transgender athletes must have their space” and that “the problem is that today they don’t have it because it is beginning to emerge and now it is gaining notoriety.” “But until there is a significant number, I think a fair decision cannot be made,” she remarked.
“In individual sports it is much more noticeable and you have to find a solution that does not discriminate, although at the beginning there will always be discrimination. I put myself in the shoes of the two affected parties, who should have their chance to climb a podium. I believe that it is one of the most important challenges that we have now as a sport”, affirmed Loriente.
GUTIÉRREZ: “IT IS SOMETHING WE HOPE TO ADDRESS SOON WITH THE PLAYERS”
Finally, Amanda Gutiérrez agreed with her two fellow forum members that it was “a complicated issue because whatever you do you are going to discriminate against someone.” “From FUTPRO we believe that we have to have a position on this issue, although due to how young we are it has not yet given us time. It is something that is very delicate, we must try to find a solution and that it discriminates as little as possible”, he confessed .
“It is an issue that we have pending and for which we have to meet all the players because in the end they have control of the union. It is true that in the world of football, at least in the First Division, we have not seen cases of this type and as it is being let go, but I think we have a responsibility to talk about it. At the moment we have not been able to do it and it is something that we hope to be able to address soon, “considered the president of the majority union of Spanish women’s football.