• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
'Shame On Everyone': Aussie Swimmer Blasts Decision To Ban Transgender Athletes From Events

Home> Other

Published 08:19 20 Jun 2022 GMT+1

'Shame On Everyone': Aussie Swimmer Blasts Decision To Ban Transgender Athletes From Events

"Shame on everyone that supported this discriminatory and unscientific decision."

Max Sherry

Max Sherry

Former Australian swimmer Maddie Groves has spoken out against the decision to ban transgender athletes from competing in women's events.

Following a vote conducted by the sport's governing body, it was announced that trans swimmers will be restricted competing in women's competitions if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty.

The decision was largely met with praise from those within the swimming community as a number of big-name figures threw their support behind the vote – Aussie Olympic gold medallist Cate Campbell being one of them.

"Believe me, I have wrestled long and hard with myself, with what to say and do. I am aware that my actions and words, no matter what I say, will anger some people — whether they are from the [transgender] community or from the cisgender female community," Campbell said in a recent speech.

Advert

Cate Campbell.
Alamy

"If inclusion is one of the cornerstones of sport, then the other would be fairness, fairness in regards to competition, especially elite, professional competition.

"The incongruity that inclusion and fairness cannot always work together is one of the reasons why it is so difficult to talk about this topic.

"Usually, they are terms of absolutes which work together, yet science now tells us that, in this issue, they are incompatible."

Advert

She concluded: "It is my hope that young girls all around the world can continue to dream of becoming Olympic and World Champions in a female category prioritising the competitive cornerstone of fairness.

"However, it is also my hope that a young gender-diverse child can walk into a swimming club and feel the same level of acceptance that a nine-year-old immigrant kid from Africa did all those years ago."

One person who took exception to Campbell's comments was Australian Olympic silver medallist Groves.

Advert

She tweeted: "'My hope that a young gender-diverse child can walk into a swimming club and feel the same level of acceptance'. So you ban them from competing with their peers? You’re okay with ostracising an already marginalised group? Real accepting."

Groves then followed up with another tweet in response to the decision.

"There are already gender diverse people in swimming and I'm guessing they're not feeling very accepted right now. Shame on everyone that supported this discriminatory and unscientific decision."

According to the Daily Mail, Groves withdrew from selection trials for last year's Olympic Games in Tokyo, citing a misogynist culture within Australian swimming.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/liakthomas/mad_groves

Topics: Australia, Swimming, Olympics, Lia Thomas

Max Sherry
Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

X

@maxysherry

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 days ago
7 days ago
8 days ago
9 days ago
  • 6 days ago

    Tour de France cyclist died after drug binge that opened the world's eyes to doping dangers

    Tommy Simpson collapsed near the summit of Mont Ventoux in Provence at the age of 29 back in 1967.

    Other
  • 7 days ago

    Tour de France riders face 14 day bans as cycling's VAR is introduced

    The 2025 Tour de France will see yellow cards introduced for bad behaviour thanks to cycling’s version of VAR.

    Other
  • 8 days ago

    What happened to world champion diver who ignored 'no women' sign on extreme water slide

    The diver went viral after risking serious injury on a waterslide

    Other
  • 9 days ago

    Stadium that hosted huge sporting events for over 100 years was demolished after devastating incident

    The stadium played host to athletics, football, cricket and rugby.

    Other
  • Trans swimmer Lia Thomas stripped of medals and records in landmark case after Donald Trump decision
  • Two Olympic events could be in major doubt as multiple athletes fall sick
  • Trans Activist Agrees With Decision To Ban Transgender Women From Female Swimming Events
  • Aussie Olympic Legends Support Decision To Ban Trans Athletes From Women's Swimming Events