The international body that governs swimming competitions has partially reversed a transgender athlete ban by announcing a new “open category” that will allow transgender athletes to compete.
On Tuesday, World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam said the debate over transgender athletes is a “very complex topic” but insisted, “Our sport must be open to everybody,” NBC News reported.
Al-Musallam did not say when the new category will be implemented, but it may be as early as this year.
“I am delighted to tell you today that we are now making plans for the first trial of an open category, and we hope to be able to confirm all the details soon,” Al-Musallam added during his announcement at the World Aquatics Congress in the southwestern Japanese city of Fukuoka.
World Aquatics had banned transgender athletes from being allowed to choose their own gender…
