The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF) confirms to Document that biological men who identify as women may compete against women and use women’s changing rooms.
Document contacted NIF after the organisation published a Pride post on Facebook.
In the post, the confederation emphasises that it considers it important to celebrate Pride, and places emphasis on transgender persons in a comic strip it attaches, explaining what a “trans woman” is, through a question from a son to a mother about what it means that “Lars’s aunt is a trans woman”. Document considered it natural to ask questions about what NIF means in this matter, given that it has a central role in Norwegian sport.
NIF celebrates Pride. At the same time, the organisation confirms that biological men who identify as women are allowed to compete against women in grassroots sports.
Photo: Screenshot/Facebook
When asked whether biological men who identify as women should be permitted to compete in the women’s category, NIF responds:
– As regards participation in competitions, the Sports Confederation wishes grassroots sport to be organised in such a way that everyone can participate regardless of gender identity, and that the individual athlete may then compete in the gender category with which the athlete identifies.
This means that biological men who identify as women may compete against women in grassroots sport.
The women’s category is to be protected – but only in elite sport
At the same time, NIF states that not all biological men who identify as women may automatically participate in the women’s category in elite sport.
– In elite sport, the Sports Confederation considers that limits may be imposed in order to preserve the women’s category as a meaningful competition category, with the consequence that not everyone who identifies as a woman may automatically participate in the women’s category.
NIF states that such restrictions must be in accordance with decisions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
While biological men who identify as women are to be permitted to compete against women in grassroots sport, NIF simultaneously maintains that biological sex may be relevant in elite sport in order to preserve the women’s category as a “meaningful competition category”.
It is not explained why biological sex is considered relevant in elite sport, but not in grassroots sport.
Women’s changing rooms also for biological men
Document also asked questions regarding the use of changing rooms.
– There are no formal regulations governing who has access to women’s or men’s changing rooms.
In a follow-up response, the organisation elaborates on its position:
– Recognition of a person’s gender identity will entail that a women’s changing room is for both “cis women” and “trans women”.
Thus, NIF proceeds on the basis that both women and biological men who identify as women should have access to the women’s changing room.
At the same time, the organisation points out that some transgender persons may prefer other changing-room arrangements, and recommends that provision be made for this at the local level.
– Our experience is that questions concerning the use of changing rooms are resolved well in practice at the local level, and when the Sports Confederation receives questions from sports clubs and individuals, we assist them.
However, it does not elaborate on how women who do not wish to share changing rooms with biological men are to be accommodated, or how such situations are to be handled if a conflict arises between considerations of gender identity and considerations of women’s privacy and safety.
Gender identity takes precedence over biological sex
In its responses to Document, NIF justifies the arrangement on the basis of gender identity and inclusion.
– The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports has sporting enjoyment for all as its vision and works to ensure that transgender persons, on an equal footing with cisgender persons, feel at home in sport and experience the joy of sport.
According to NIF, discrimination or harassment on the grounds of gender identity or gender expression is contrary to the organisation’s regulations.
Biological sex is therefore not to be decisive in grassroots sport, but becomes relevant when the women’s category is to be preserved as a “meaningful competition category” in elite sport.