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Olympics set to OK transsexual athletes |
Nov. 14, 2003 |
Athletes who have undergone sex reassignment are set to be eligible
to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time.
Reuters reports that the International Olympic Committee (news
- web sites) (IOC) is finalizing new rules, following a meeting
of experts in Sweden last month.
The committee is expected to officially announce the new policy
in the next few weeks.
Patrick Schamasch, medical director for the IOC, said transsexual
athletes will be eligible for the Olympics once they have passed
a certain amount of time after sex reassignment surgery. The
exact length of the waiting period hasn't been determined.
"The trend is to have an ineligibility period. Then after
certain conditions have been fulfilled, the athlete will be
able to compete in his or her new sex," he added. Schamasch
said officials would want to make sure any side effects of hormone
therapy have worn off.
Schamasch said he didn't know whether there were any potential
transsexual athletes in line to compete in next summer's Athens
Olympics, but he said several international sports federations
have asked the IOC for guidance.
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