Chris Lynch
Chris Lynch is a journalist, videographer and content producer, broadcasting from his independent news and production company in Christchurch, New Zealand.
A group of Olympians, former athletes, doctors, and sports administrators have called on Minister for Sport and Recreation Chris Bishop, to review Sport New Zealand’s (SNZ) guidelines on the inclusion of transgender people in community sport.
In an open letter, the group expressed concern that the guidelines prevent national sports federations from developing policies in line with their international counterparts. They also said there is a perceived threat of funding cuts for federations that do not align with SNZ’s policies.
The letter argued that fairness is a cornerstone of sport, and that in contact sports, safety should be equally prioritised.
It added that male-bodied athletes have an undeniable advantage over females, pointing to women’s boxing at the Paris Olympics as an example where fairness and safety were compromised.
The group said, “Despite testosterone suppression, there is unequivocal evidence of physical advantages for trans women in sport at any level.”
They also criticised the SNZ guidelines for ignoring the rights of female athletes, saying, “as much as we celebrate the spirit of inclusivity espoused by the Rainbow community, fundamental tenets of fairness and safety in sport have been disrespected by the SNZ document.”
The letter concluded by urging the government to show leadership in ensuring guidelines reflect both fairness and safety for all athletes, saying, “We owe our next generation of female athletes a fair, safe future in sport.”
The letter was signed by several notable figures, including:
- Emeritus Professor David Gerrard CNZM OBE, Olympian and Commonwealth Games swimming medallist
- Lorraine Moller MBE, Olympian and marathon champion
- Barbara Kendall CNZM MBE, Five-time Olympian and medallist
- Allison Roe MBE, Boston and New York Marathon winner
- Erin Baker MBE, Ironman World Champion
- Anna Stanley MNZM, Silver Fern netballer
- Rod Dixon, Olympic medallist and marathon winner
- Helen Leslie, Olympian and Commonwealth Games medallist
Other signatories included doctors, sports administrators, and athletes from various disciplines, all calling for a re-evaluation of the current approach to transgender inclusion in New Zealand sport.
This article was originally published by Chris Lynch Media.
