USA Boxing’s New Transgender Policy Allows Biological Men to Compete Against Female Boxers

USA Boxing has made a groundbreaking announcement with the release of their ‘Transgender Policy,’ which is scheduled to be implemented in 2024. This new policy will permit transgender athletes who have transitioned from male to female to participate in the female category of amateur and Olympic-style boxing, subject to stringent conditions.

The policy outlines specific criteria that must be met by transgender athletes who wish to compete. For boxers under the age of 18, they must compete in accordance with their birth gender within the weight classes specified in the USA Boxing Rulebook. Moreover, USA Boxing will only communicate with minors if a parent or legal guardian is present.

As for boxers over the age of 18, USA Boxing has decided to follow the guidelines set by the IOC’s 2015 Consensus Meeting and the 2022 United States Olympic Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Medical and Scientific Discussion Pertaining to Transgender Athletes in Sport. This includes referring to studies from the Boston Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine and Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital regarding appropriate testosterone levels for males and females.

Additionally, a boxer who has transitioned from male to female is eligible to compete in the female category under the following conditions: the athlete must declare their gender identity as female and have undergone gender reassignment surgery. Subsequently, the athlete must undergo quarterly hormone testing for a minimum of four years after surgery, presenting USA Boxing with documentation of hormone levels. Furthermore, the athlete must demonstrate that their total testosterone level has been below a specific threshold for at least 48 months prior to their first competition and remain below the designated level throughout their eligibility to compete in the female category.

The decision by USA Boxing to implement the ‘Transgender Policy’ has elicited diverse reactions. While some advocate for inclusivity, others have expressed apprehensions regarding safety and competitive fairness under the new guidelines. American swimmer Riley Gaines, who lost to transgender woman Lia Thomas, strongly criticized the new policy, citing concerns about the potential ramifications on women’s safety in sports.

Gaines emphasized her worries, stating, “USA boxing to allow men who merely say they are women to fight against women. Mark my words, it will take a woman getting killed before these misogynistic fools wake up.”

It is worth noting that USA Boxing is not the only sports governing body that has adopted inclusive policies for transgender athletes. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) both have specific eligibility guidelines for transgender participation. Major professional leagues, such as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), have also introduced policies to accommodate transgender athletes based on their gender identity, with stringent criteria in place for eligibility.

Incorporating transgender inclusivity policies has become a topic of significance across various sports organizations, as they seek to uphold principles of fairness and equality while also ensuring the safety and well-being of all athletes. As the landscape of sports continues to evolve, the need for inclusive policies that address the complexities of gender identity and participation in sports becomes increasingly essential.