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☆ Australia recommends testosterone limits for transgender athletes in elite female sport
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, June 16 (Reuters) - Australia's peak sports authority has recommended testosterone limits for transgender athletes seeking to compete in elite female competitions as part of guidelines on inclusion released on Friday. The 'Transgender & Gender-Diverse Inclusion Guidelines for HP (high-performance) Sport' recommends transgender athletes have plasma testosterone levels of less than 2.5 nanomoles per litre for two years prior to competition. Transgender inclusion in female competition has become one of the most contentious and divisive issues in sport. Australia's guidelines come months after the national basketball federation rejected a transgender athlete's application to play in a semi-professional league, drawing criticism from LGBTI groups. Eligibility requirements for transgender athletes in elite female competition vary broadly in Australian sports.

Persons: Ian Ransom, Peter Rutherford Organizations: MELBOURNE, Australian Sports Commission, HP, AIS, Australian Institute of Sport, ASC, rugby, Australian Football League, Australian Rules, Cricket Australia, Thomson Locations: Melbourne

☆ Players at Women's World Cup guaranteed at least $30,000 each in FIFA first
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, June 7 (Reuters) - Each player at the Women's World Cup will be guaranteed at least $30,000 after a ground-breaking move by FIFA to disburse some of the prize money to individuals rather than national federations. All 23 members of the winning team will take home $270,000, part of a $110 million total prize pool that is roughly 300% higher than what FIFA offered for the 2019 tournament. The $30,000 minimum directed prize money is more than twice the average salary of $14,000 for paid players surveyed in FIFA's 2022 benchmarking report. For the upcoming Women's World Cup, member associations will also receive increased funding based on performance, with winners taking $4.29 million home and delegations earning $1.56 million for participating in the group stage. The total performance-based prize funds still significantly trail what was the on the offer at the men's tournament last year, where $440 million total prize fund was awarded.

Persons: Gianni Infantino, FIFPRO, Amy Tennery, Lori Ewing, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: YORK, FIFA, FIFA Congress, Thomson Locations: Australia, New Zealand, New York

☆ IBA wants boxing in Olympics but will not be run by third parties - Kremlev
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

PARIS, June 6 (Reuters) - Boxing must stay in the Olympic Games and the International Boxing Association (IBA) will do everything for it to happen but the sport also wants respect and will not be run by third parties, IBA President Umar Kremlev said. "The current crisis situation and the past scandals were all situations created by the member of the IOC, Mr CK Wu." The IOC has not sanctioned CK Wu, who in 2020 resigned from the Olympic body citing medical reasons. According to the IBA report, repeated efforts by IBA officials to meet with IOC officials were ignored. We would like the IOC to also achieve this principle of becoming the home of the Olympic movement," Kremlev said.

Persons: Umar Kremlev, Kremlev, Thomas Bach, CK Wu, Wu, Taiwan's Wu, Karolos Grohmann, Ken Ferris Organizations: Olympic Games, International Boxing Association, Reuters, IBA, IOC, AIBA, CK, Gazprom, Thomson Locations: Los, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian

☆ WADA's 'Operation LIMS' passes 200 sanctions of Russian athletes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 18 (Reuters) - More than 200 Russian athletes have been sanctioned following the ‘Operation LIMS’ investigation into Moscow's anti-doping laboratory with more bans to come, the World Anti-Doping Agency said on Thursday. The suspensions are the result of data and samples retrieved by WADA's Intelligence and Investigations team into the Moscow Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). A total of 203 Russian athletes have been sanctioned by 17 anti-doping organisations with an additional 73 charged. "The continued success of WADA’s ‘Operation LIMS’ investigation is a testament to the significant work being conducted by the Agency’s Intelligence and Investigations, and Legal Affairs departments," WADA president Witold Banka said in a statement. WADA’s Executive Committee voted in 2018 to reinstate RUSADA subject to a number of conditions that included access to all data from the LIMS.

☆ UCI to reopen talks on transgender policy after Killips' win in New Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 4 (Reuters) - The governing body of cycling (UCI) has agreed to "re-open consultation" around transgender women competing in elite female events. The decision was prompted by American Austin Killips becoming the first transgender rider to win a UCI women's stage race. "The UCI's objective remains the same: to take into consideration... the desire of transgender athletes to practice cycling. "The UCI also hears the voices of female athletes and their concerns about an equal playing field for competitors, and will take into account all elements, including the evolution of scientific knowledge." The UCI toughened its rules for transgender women to compete in its events last year, halving the maximum permitted plasma testosterone level to 2.5 nanomoles per litre and doubling the transition period to 24 months.

May 1 (Reuters) - International Boxing Association (IBA) president Umar Kremlev blasted the national federations who broke away from the body to form a new world boxing federation, describing the officials as 'black sheep' and 'hyenas' who do not belong in sport. But Russian Kremlev, who is in Tashkent for the IBA men's world championships, said the IBA is the only international association that governs the sport. Someone tried to register an international association from their garage, why should we even consider them," Kremlev told a news conference. "We did not terminate the (Gazprom) contract as there were obligations to complete... Most federations were against Gazprom being sponsor, but at the (IBA) Congress there were no objections."

☆ Euro clubs' body wary of early Women's World Cup call-ups
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 27 (Reuters) - The European Club Association (ECA) said it is concerned about the "current widespread practice" of national federations calling up players for the Women's World Cup before the mandatory release period starts. The mandatory release date for the tournament is July 10, which is 10 days before the event kicks off in Australia and New Zealand. "The issue of early call-ups is a hangover from the game in its amateur form and is detrimental to the future success and growth of women's football." Several top players, including England captain Leah Williamson and Netherlands forward Vivianne Miedema, have been ruled out of the World Cup due to serious injuries. Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ USA Boxing withdraws from Russian-led world body IBA
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 27 (Reuters) - USA Boxing, representing the most successful country in the sport's Olympic history, has left the International Boxing Association (IBA) and will join the breakaway federation World Boxing. Mike McAtee, chief executive of USA Boxing, wrote in a letter to members on Wednesday that the withdrawal was effective immediately. "USA Boxing will immediately begin the World Boxing application process and submit the required application on the first day of acceptance, on or about May 1, 2023," he added. "USA Boxing is committed to work tirelessly with World Boxing, like-minded national federations and worldwide Olympic-style boxing community to earn the privilege to be part of the Olympic Movement now and in the years to come." USA Boxing is certified by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the national governing body for Olympic-Style boxing in the United States.

☆ Pentathlon-Russian and Belarusian pentathletes allowed to return as neutrals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 20 (Reuters) - Russian and Belarusian athletes can return to international pentathlon events as neutrals after being banned last year in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the sport's global federation (UIPM) said on Thursday. In the wake of the invasion, most international sports federations adopted recommendations by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes. However last month the IOC issued new guidelines for a gradual return to international competitions by Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals. "UIPM will now work to develop the necessary independent review processes to facilitate the return of these athletes, in consultation with the IOC and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations." Table tennis, fencing, judo and taekwondo are among other Olympic sports which have readmitted athletes from Russia and Belarus as neutrals.

☆ New world body to defend Olympic status in break from IBA
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 13 (Reuters) - A group of national federations including the United States and Britain announced a new boxing world body on Thursday in a breakaway move aimed at securing the troubled sport's Olympic future. Leaders of the Swiss-registered body, World Boxing, told a news conference that they would seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The group includes federations who have already announced boycotts of this year's men's and women's world championships organised by the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA). Amateur boxing's governing body defied IOC guidance and lifted a ban on Russian and Belarusian boxers competing under their flags last October. The United States tops the all-time Olympic boxing medal table with 50 golds and 117 medals, ahead of Cuba and with Britain third.

☆ Ukraine says athletes not allowed to compete against Russians in Paris qualifiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 31 (Reuters) - Ukrainian athletes will not be allowed to take part in qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics if they have to compete against Russians, government minister Oleh Nemchinov said. Huttsait is also president of Ukraine's Olympic committee. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations Tuesday for the gradual return to international competition for Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals. The IOC is to make a separate decision on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in Paris at a later date. Some federations have readmitted Russians and Belarusians in competitions but there is also considerable opposition to the IOC's plans from athletes and some European governments.

☆ Games cannot exclude and divide says IOC amid Russian athletes row
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The Olympics cannot be divisive and exclude athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday, defending its plan to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to qualify for the Paris 2024 summer Olympics. "The Olympic Games cannot prevent wars and conflicts. Nor can they address all the political and social challenges in our world," the IOC said in its statement. But the Olympic Games can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another." The IOC remains committed to this mission to unite the entire world in peaceful competition to this day," the IOC said.

☆ USA Boxing condemns IBA's 'misleading' 2024 Olympic qualifiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 21 (Reuters) - The Russian-led International Boxing Association's (IBA's) announcement that its world championships are qualifiers for the 2024 Olympics is "false and misleading" and an attempt to sabotage qualification for the Paris Games, USA Boxing said. "USA Boxing condemns in the strongest possible terms this attempt by IBA to confuse boxers from around the world, knowing full well that IBA is not associated with the International Olympic Committee nor the IOC's published qualification system," McAtee said. At worst, USA Boxing believes this may be an attempt to sabotage the Olympic qualification for the Paris Olympic Games," the statement added. On Sunday, Switzerland and the Netherlands joined the United States, Ireland, Britain, Czech Republic, Sweden and Canada in boycotting the women's world championships to be held in New Delhi, India's capital, over March 15-26. Two world qualification tournaments are also planned for 2024.

☆ World Athletics will address Russian doping before Ukraine - Coe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Feb 17 (Reuters) - World Athletics will look at the issue of Russian athletes competing while the Ukraine war continues only after it has been decided whether the country has cleaned up its act on doping sufficiently to be reinstated, Sebastian Coe said on Friday. The Russian Athletics Federation (RAF) has been banned from athletics since 2015 as a result of the country's widespread doping, although some athletes from Russia were allowed to compete at the last two Summer Olympics as neutrals. World Athletics President Coe said doping would still take precedence when the governing council meets next month to decide whether the RAF has made sufficient progress along its "road map" to warrant reinstatement. "It was decided by the council it was inconceivable that Russia athletes (could compete) ... International Federations such as World Athletics, however, have the final decision on which athletes are allowed to compete in qualifying events and at the Olympic Games.

☆ IBA denounces 'hyenas' after U.S. and Irish boycott worlds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Amateur boxing's Russian-led governing body has offered to fund U.S. and Irish boxers wanting to compete in this year's world championships after their national federations decided to boycott the tournaments. The International Boxing Association (IBA) also warned in a statement on Friday that it would pursue "strong sanctions against those who initiate and join the participation boycott". "Those who are doing this to our athletes are worse than hyenas and jackals, they violate the integrity of sport and culture. The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) said on Friday its boxers, referees and judges would be staying away. "IBA invites USA and Irish teams to come to the world championships and participate under their flags and anthems," it said.

☆ 'Not so rosy': Russian athletes face prospect of Olympics ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Olympic Rings are pictured in front of The Olympic House, headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the opening of the executive board meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Lausanne, Switzerland September 8, 2022. Since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals at the 2024 Paris Games, calls to have them excluded have snowballed. At an indoor track in northeastern Moscow on Friday, hurdler Sergey Shubenkov said he was avoiding reading the news about Russia's Olympic prospects. The measure was taken as part of wider sanctions against the Russian athletics federation, which has been suspended since 2015 over doping offences. "I think those who don't support (Russia's special military operation in Ukraine) have already left.

The Baltic nations and Poland earlier Thursday called on international sports bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the Olympics and other events while the war in Ukraine continues. "Efforts to return Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sports competitions under the veil of neutrality legitimize political decisions and widespread propaganda of these countries," it added. They called on "all international sports organizations and federations" to remove Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions until the war ends. Latvia joined Kyiv on Wednesday in threatening to boycott the 2024 Olympics and qualifiers if Russian and Belarusian athletes are included while the war continues in Ukraine. The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26-Aug. 11 next year and the Paralympics from Aug. 28-Sept. 8.

☆ Analysis: IOC on spot over Russian presence at 2024 Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Some 18 months before the competition is due to start, the IOC is desperate to calm the waters. "Currently within the IOC, there is a lot of attention now on the Ukraine issue and the Russian athletes and any opposition," an Olympic movement insider told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "A sports boycott serves nothing," IOC President Thomas Bach said on the 40th anniversary of the 1980 Moscow Games boycott by some Western states. The IOC, host city, and international federations would ultimately benefit if Russian participation was perceived as upholding the Games' universal and neutral character. The IOC had also called for a ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions as part of "protective measures" given the volatile situation.

☆ Top US diplomat rips FIFA for punishing World Cup players who wear the 'One Love' armband promoting inclusion
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Blinken criticized FIFA for threatening to punish World Cup players who wear a "One Love" armband. "As national federations, we can't put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions including bookings, so we have asked the captains not to attempt to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games." The nations decried the FIFA decision as "unprecedented" and said they were "very frustrated." Fans wearing clothing featuring rainbows, a symbol of support for the LGBTQ community, have reported being prevented from entering World Cup stadiums in Qatar. FIFA, soccer's global governing body, previously said fans were "welcome to express themselves; they are welcome to express their love for their partners."

☆ World Cup teams abandon plan to wear 'OneLove' armbands
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

The captains of seven European nations will not wear anti-discrimination armbands in World Cup games after threats from FIFA to show yellow cards to the players. “As national federations we can’t put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions, including bookings,” the seven soccer federations said Monday in a joint statement. The climbdown after threats from FIFA came hours before England’s Harry Kane, the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk and Wales’ Gareth Bale were due to wear the One Love armbands in Monday’s games. The captains of Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark were also expected to wear the armbands in the coming days. “Our number one priority at the World Cup is to win the games,” the Dutch soccer federation said in a separate statement.

☆ Seven European World Cup captains ditch OneLove arm band following FIFA pressure
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

England captain Harry Kane spoke on Sunday of his desire to wear the armband in Monday's Group B opener against Iran. FIFA launched its own captain's armband campaign to promote different causes for each round during the tournament. "This is in line with Article 13.8.1 of the FIFA Equipment Regulations, which state: 'For FIFA Final Competitions, the captain of each Team must wear the captain's armband provided by FIFA.'" According to FIFA rules, team equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, and during FIFA Final Competitions, the captain of each team "must wear the captain's armband provided by FIFA". Wales captain Gareth Bale had been planning to wear the OneLove armband against the United States later on Monday.

CNN —The captains of several European teams will not to wear “OneLove” armbands at the World Cup in Qatar due to the danger of receiving yellow cards. “FIFA [football’s global governing body] has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play,” the joint statement read. The countries said they were “frustrated” by what they described as FIFA’s “unprecedented” decision to sanction the captains should they wear the armband. ‘Everyone is welcome’In the buildup to the World Cup, Qatar – where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by up to three years in prison – has come under criticism for its stance on LGBTQ rights. Prior to countries announcing their captains would not wear the armband in Qatar, FIFA brought forward its own “No Discrimination” campaign and said all 32 captains would have the opportunity to wear an armband linked to the campaign.

☆ Seven European World Cup captains ditch OneLove armband following FIFA pressure
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

FIFA has threatened to issue yellow cards to any player wearing the multi-coloured armband which was introduced to support diversity and inclusion. England captain Harry Kane spoke on Sunday of his desire to wear the armband in Monday's Group B opener against Iran. "I will not carry the confrontation created by FIFA onto the back of (Germany team captain) Manuel Neuer." FIFA launched its own captain's armband campaign ahead of the tournament to promote different causes for each round. According to FIFA rules, team equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, and during FIFA Final Competitions, the captain of each team "must wear the captain's armband provided by FIFA".

☆ 'We are very frustrated': World Cup teams in Qatar ax pro-LGBTQ armbands after FIFA threat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The European teams competing at the 2022 Qatar World Cup walked back their plans to wear "OneLove" armbands in support of LGBTQ rights during the tournament, they announced Monday, after warnings from international soccer governing body FIFA that they would be penalized for doing so. In an unprecedented move just hours before matches began, FIFA warned it would issue a yellow card to any player wearing the armband. "As national federations, we can't put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions including bookings, so we have asked the captains not to attempt to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games." The teams from England, Wales and the Netherlands were all slated to play on Monday. "We are very frustrated by the FIFA decision which we believe is unprecedented," the teams' joint statement added and pledged to express their support for inclusion by other means.

☆ Seven European World Cup captains ditch One Love arm band under FIFA pressure
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"You don't want the captain to start the match with a yellow card. "This is completely against the spirit of our sport, which unites millions of people," the KNVB said in a statement. According to FIFA rules, team equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, and during FIFA Final Competitions, the captain of each team "must wear the captain’s armband provided by FIFA". Wales said the countries involved had been prepared to pay fines that would normally apply to breaches of kit regulations, but sporting sanctions had been a step too far. "As national federations, we can’t put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions including bookings, so we have asked the captains not to attempt to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games."

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