[Vision2020] It's about time

[Dan Carscallen]

copied off a forum . . . not sure of the source

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Transsexuals were cleared Monday to compete in
the Olympics (search) for the first time. 

Under a proposal approved by the IOC executive board, athletes who have
undergone sex-change surgery will be eligible for the Olympics if their
new gender has been legally recognized and they have gone through a
minimum two-year period of postoperative hormone therapy. 

The decision, which covers both male-to-female and female-to-male cases,
goes into effect starting with the Athens Olympics in August. 

The IOC had put off a decision in February, saying more time was needed
to consider all the medical issues. 

Some members had been concerned whether male-to-female transsexuals
would have physical advantages competing against women. 

Men have higher levels of testosterone and greater muscle-to-fat ratio
and heart and lung capacity. However, doctors say, testosterone levels
and muscle mass drop after hormone therapy and sex-change surgery
(search). 

IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said the situation of transsexuals
competing in high-level sports was "rare but becoming more common." 

IOC medical director Patrick Schamasch said no specific sports had been
singled out by the ruling. 

"Any sport may be touched by this problem," he said. "Until now, we
didn't have any rules or regulations. We needed to establish some sort
of policy." 

Until 1999, the IOC conducted gender verification tests at the Olympics
but the screenings were dropped before the 2000 Sydney Games. 

One of the best known cases of transsexuals in sports involves Renee
Richards, formerly Richard Raskind, who played on the women's tennis
tour in the 1970s. 

In March, Australia's Mianne Bagger became the first transsexual to play
in a pro golf tournament. 

Michelle Dumaresq, formerly Michael, has competed in mountain bike
racing for Canada.