Regatta keeps to rule

TRANSGENDER athletes will be allowed to compete at Henley Women’s Regatta for the time being.

Organisers of the annual event, which this year runs from June 16 to 18, say they will follow the policies set out by British Rowing, which has surveyed members on its transgender policy.

Currently the governing body allows transgender women to participate in female events if their testosterone level is below five nanomoles per litre of testosterone for at least a year.

But concerns have been raised by rowing umpires that they wouldn’t be able to question the gender of junior athletes which they fear could open the regatta up to exploitation. Carole-Ann Turner, who has umpired in three different regions, was present at a recent Thames region umpires’ briefing when they were told of the policy.

She said: “As umpires, our primary concerns are supposed to be safety and fairness. We have that drummed into us.

“So, if you are umpiring a race and something untoward happens, you can interpret the rules to ensure fairness.”

As it stands, umpires must accept whatever gender is entered for a junior rower on the British Rowing online entry system.

But Turner expressed concern that the system was open to being exploited.

“With juniors, their parents can enter their information for them,” she said.

“If you have boys able to row with girls, then it’s likely to be all boy winners.

“It is totally ridiculous that you could have a whole category at Henley Women’s being boys.”

More than 30,000 members of British Rowing voted in a survey about possibly revising its transgender policy.

One of the options was to ban transgender athletes from competing in female events but the body decided at a board on Monday last week to keep the status quo for the rest of the current season.

Chief executive Alastair Marks said: “There will be no immediate changes to rules that affect the current racing season and any further changes will be communicated prior to the start of next season.”

Henley Women’s Regatta said that as it is run under British rowing rules, it will abide by them.

In a statement, it said: “Only rowers and scullers registered with British Rowing as female may enter Henley Women’s Regatta.

“Male coxswains are permitted, in accordance with British Rowing rules allowing gender-neutral coxing.”