Transgender sporting debate: Swimming great Dawn Fraser backs Olympian Emma McKeon

Swimming legend Dawn Fraser has weighed in on the transgender sporting debate to back Aussie Olympic great Emma McKeon who says forcing women to swim against biological males is unfair.

Dawn Fraser has weighed into the transgender sporting debate, calling for separate competitions to ensure fairness.

The swimming legend said our greatest Olympian Emma McKeon was correct in saying this week it would be unfair for women be to forced to swim against a “biological” male.

“I don’t think it’s fair to have transgender men competing against women,” Fraser, who won gold at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics, said.

“Why don’t transgender people compete against each other. That would solve all the problems?”

Emma McKeon won seven medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics including four gold. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty

Legendary swimming champ Dawn Fraser has called for separate competitions to ensure fairness. Picture: Lachie Millard

Transgender athlete Hannah Mouncey, who was banned from playing AFLW, said the debate — brought into focus through the election campaign and controversial comments by Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves — was misguided.

Mouncey, 32, said transgender athletes lost significant strength after transition.

“I used to be able to bench press 150kg but that went down to 50kg within 12 months, that’s the effect of the loss of testosterone,” she said.

Mouncey has reached out to McKeon through a third party to offer to speak with her about her comments.

She said that there was misinformation about transgender athletes.

“When it comes to Emma’s comments, I have no anger towards her, she is just dealing with the incorrect information she has been given,” Mouncey said.

Transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey says there is misinformation about transgender athletes. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mouncey said she was disappointed that Prime Minister Scott Morrison had fanned the debate about transgender issues through the selection of Ms Deves — and refused to disendorse her.

Kieren Perkins, Australian Sports Commission chief executive and 1500m Olympic freestyle gold medallist, said the current rules for athletes were appropriate.

“The coalition of major sporting groups and the human rights commission developed the guidelines for participation and elite sports that considers safety, fairness and inclusion,” he said.

“Transgender issues are not the highest priority on our agenda, there are a lot of challenges for women in sport, women’s safe enjoyment of sport, increasing women’s participation in sport, getting more women in professional coaching, development and administration are the areas we are focusing our energy on.

“The guidelines in place allow for inclusion and fairness to be appropriately managed by sports as far as we believe.”

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Originally published as Transgender sporting debate: Swimming great Dawn Fraser backs Olympian Emma McKeon