米女子ゴルフで新たな性別規定 トランス選手の出場めぐり

【ニューヨークＡＦＰ＝時事】全米女子プロゴルフ協会（ＬＰＧＡ）と全米ゴルフ協会（ＵＳＧＡ）は４日、選手のジェンダーに関する新たな方針を発表し、女子の大会に出場するには出生時の性別が女性であるか男性の思春期を迎える前に性転換手術を受けていなくてはならないと規定した。新規定は来シーズンから適用される。（写真は資料写真）
　ＬＰＧＡによると、今回の変更はトランスジェンダー選手に関連した競技の公平性の問題を解決することを目的としたもので、医学や科学、スポーツ生理学、ゴルフのパフォーマンス、ジェンダー政策法のトップ専門からなる作業部会の助言を受けた。
　ＬＰＧＡのコミッショナーを務めるモリー・マクー・サマーン氏は「われわれの規定は、広範で科学に基づいた包括的なアプローチを反映している」と説明し、「エリート競技の公平性と競争の公正さを維持しながら、すべての選手が組織内で歓迎されていると感じられるようにするという、われわれの継続的な取り組みを表している」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/12/05-18:53）

The LPGA and US Golf Association (USGA) announced updated gender policies on Wednesday requiring players be born female or transition before reaching male puberty for women's tournaments.
Both new policies regarding transgender athletes will begin with the 2025 season.
The LPGA changes aimed at settling transgender competitive fairness issues, were informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law, the tour said.
Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach, LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said. The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.
The LPGA's working group advised that effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty.
Accordingly, under the new policy, athletes who are assigned female at birth are eligible to compete in LPGA, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and all elite LPGA competitions.
Players assigned male at birth and who have gone through male puberty are not eligible to compete in the aforementioned events, the LPGA said.
The USGA introduced a Competitive Fairness Gender Policy starting next year that ensures the USGA's longstanding commitment to welcoming all gender identities and gender expressions while maintaining equity in competition.
Changes related to transgender athletes, the USGA said, ensure competitive opportunities are provided for athletes playing in USGA women's competitions without allowing an unfair advantage for athletes who have received the sports performance benefits of male puberty, meaning athletes must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female prior to going through male puberty in order to compete.
The USGA noted scientific and medical research showing sports performance differences exist between biological sexes and begin to occur during the onset of puberty.
We remain committed to providing opportunities for everyone to compete for a national title or team but have made changes to our eligibility criteria that reflects current scientific data and strives to maintain competitive integrity, said USGA chief executive officer Mike Whan, who served as the LPGA commissioner from 2010-2021.
Our updated policy reflects a thoughtful and thorough process during which the USGA consulted with leading medical professionals from around the world.
The USGA said it will continue to monitor data and research regarding transgender athletes and that the policy is not intended to apply to recreational, non-elite competitions or participatory events, teams or leagues, where other factors maybe be considered regarding eligibility.
Women's USGA events include the US Women's Open, US Senior Women's Open, US Women's Amateur, US Women's Mid-Amateur, US Senior Women's Amateur, US Women's Amateur Four-Ball, US Girls Junior, the women's division of the US Adaptive Open plus the Curtis Cup and other women's team events.