Minutes from January 27, 2016 Board Meeting

New business

Transgender Issue

We are aware that the IOC policy on transgender athletes has changed. The IOC has a new policy. [pdf] (Washington Post Report)

There was an extensive discussion of the issue. Given the IOC policy change, all board members wanted to reconsider the issue.

While the IOC policy now seems similar to the NCAA policy, they are not the same and seem to have important differences.

The IOC policy says in part:

Those who transition from male to female are eligible to compete in the female category under the following conditions:
2.1. The athlete has declared that her gender identity is female. The declaration cannot be changed, for sporting purposes, for a minimum of four years.
2.2. The athlete must demonstrate that her total testosterone level in serum has been below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to her first competition (with the requirement for any longer period to be based on a confidential case-by-case evaluation, considering whether or not 12 months is a sufficient length of time to minimize any advantage in women’s competition).

The NCAA policy in part reads:

A trans female (MTF) student-athlete being treated with testosterone suppression medication for Gender Identity Disorder or gender dysphoria and/or Transsexualism, for the purposes of NCAA competition may continue to compete on a men’s team but may not compete on a women’s team without changing it to a mixed team status until completing one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment.
Any transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatment related to gender transition may participate in sex-separated sports activities in accordance with his or her assigned birth gender.

• A trans male (FTM) student-athlete who is not taking testosterone related to gender transition may participate on a men’s or women’s team.
• A trans female (MTF) transgender student-athlete who is not taking hormone treatments related to gender transition may not compete on a women’s team.
  (Citation)

Each board member preferred the NCAA policy over the IOC. The IOC involves testing and has a four year rule. (The board members did not agree on what the four year rule in the IOC policy means, but agreed it was inappropriate in our circumstances.)

It was agreed that a draft policy that adopts the NCAA policy would be prepared and made available on the VHTRC Web site so that members can comment on it.

New Board Member

It was agreed that all applicants for the vacancy on the board would be invited to submit a written statement in support of their candidacies. Alan will send out notice.

Future Board Meetings

The board will have a discussion by telephone on February 15. The group discussed the suggestion that Keith proposed for in person meetings timed by the event schedule. The group thinks that is a good idea, but exact dates were not set.