If a man has a sex change, can he compete in the Olympics as a woman?

http://www.connectsavannah.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A9450
CECIL ADAMS
8/19/2008

In our enlightened age, when science has made it possible to be the sex you feel like rather than the one nature stuck you with, some think it stuffy to insist on doing things the old-fashioned way. Why not let transsexuals compete as the sex they change to? Obvious rejoinder: Because it's no fair letting a hulking genetic male go up against smaller genetic females just because he now calls herself Kathy. But as always it's not that simple.

Hmm. I would think the lack of testosterone and presence of estrogen would rule out unfair advantages such as increased strength and endurance.

Quote from: Nero on August 19, 2008, 04:13:19 PM
Hmm. I would think the lack of testosterone and presence of estrogen would rule out unfair advantages such as increased strength and endurance.

I agree. Just in my experience, I know that I have lost a heck of a lot of muscle and am at or close to the levels of strength I believe other women my age and build are at. I mean, I actually had to switch to the "girl" style of push up (on the knees) in my last personal trainer session because I couldn't even do 10 or 15 anymore, whereas before I could easily do 30 or 40 regular push ups, diamond push ups, whatever. Same thing with some other exercises that I used to do much more on.

Quote from: Nero on August 19, 2008, 04:13:19 PM
Hmm. I would think the lack of testosterone and presence of estrogen would rule out unfair advantages such as increased strength and endurance.

That is indeed true. In a post-op transsexual testosterone levels are lower than in genetic girls which actually puts them at a DISadvantage. In many sports, the increased bone mass of most transsexuals who transitioned years ago (before 'blockers' were administered to teens) is a BIG disadvantage.

We had this conversation recently on another forum among a few transitioned athletes and nobody objected to the "2 years after SRS rule" but the consensus was that we (transitioned athletes) should be allowed SOME testosterone to bring our levels up to normal for women.

It remains to be seen if there will be any problems with transitioned athletes in the current Olympics, whether or not the IOC will stand behind its decision to allow transitioned athletes to compete and use the testing to weed out any masquerading males or if the will disqualify XY women.