Priority review of rowing’s transgender code

Rowing Australia is reviewing its transgender policy that allows for trans athletes to ‘have a positive sport experience’ by competing and sharing hotel rooms according to the gender with which they identify.

A Harvard University men's crew trains on the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Picture: AFP

Rowing Australia is reviewing its transgender policy that allows for trans athletes to “have a positive sport experience” by competing and sharing hotel rooms according to the gender with which they identify.

Officials are consulting medical experts about the vexed policies, which at an elite level allow biological male rowers to compete in the women’s division if they have been taking hormones to suppress their testosterone levels to five nanomoles per litre, an arbitrary level still more than double that of biological women.

There are also safety concerns for vulnerable school age and junior club rowers under Rowing Australia’s community policy.

Rowing is a sport that almost exclusively relies on power and cardiovascular capacity, and the decision to allow biological men to compete in women’s competitions is highly contentious.

Scientists have reported that the heart and lung capacity and strength of transgender women exceed those of their cisgender peers, even after years of female hormone therapy. However, these attributes are lower than those of cisgender men, indicates the first study of its kind, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. 

Leading rowing figures want World Rowing to follow swimming’s lead and ban transwomen at an elite level. British Rowing chief Mark Davies urged World Rowing this month to change its policy “out of concern that there is a threat to hard-fought-for progress in women’s sport”.

Last weekend, the world’s largest three-day rowing competition, the Head of the Charles Regatta, in Boston with some 11,000 competitors in 61 events was an event where biological males could compete in any division in which they had self-identified.

Rowing Australia said it followed World Rowing rules for competitions and its rules around transgender, which cover both elite and community sport are under review.

“The (transgender) document is currently under review in conjunction with our state associations, the Rowing Australia board and relevant medical experts. It is intended the updated document will be published as Rowing Australia policy by early 2023,” an RA statement said.“ At RA, we value inclusion and are committed to rowing being a sport where all participants feel … welcome.”

Under current rules, trans rowers in elite competitions have to have a legal transition, where they are listed as female on officially accepted government documentation in order to compete in women’s events.

The guidelines for transgender participation in rowing throughout Australia at community, school and club levels are at a much lower standard, allowing for a “social transition”.

A biological male could simply change their name, pronouns or appearance and be allowed to compete in women’s competitions, have access to female change rooms and share hotel rooms with girls and women.

They do not need to have undergone surgery or had hormone treatment, nor do they have to change their name or sex on any legal documents.

Clubs have been warned they could be in breach of the law if they ask a transgender athlete questions about their gender.

The Rowing Australia guidelines demand affiliated associations, clubs and indoor rowing centres provide transgender athletes access to appropriate changing, showering or bathroom facilities, and to request the use of preferred names and pronouns by coaches, opponents, officials, announcers, fans and media.

Additional reporting: Rhiannon Down

Editor's note: This report has been updated to better describe the British Journal of Sports Medicine study quoted and to provide a link. An earlier version conflated red blood cell count with capacity.