Question Period Note: Transgender inclusion in sport

Transgender rights are tied to human rights. Striking the right balance between inclusivity, and fairness and safety is essential in sport participation.

Sport Canada’s mission is to enhance opportunities for all Canadians to participate and excel in sport, including trans-identifying athletes.

Sport Canada continues to support research, and to monitor emerging data and international best practices to support a balanced approach to transgender inclusion in sport.

National Sport Organizations are encouraged to develop innovative, evidence-based solutions that afford respect to trans-identifying athletes, while preserving fairness and safety for sport and all athletes.

In sport, inclusion is achieved by protecting spaces for disadvantaged populations to participate fairly and safely (e.g., age, weight, sex, disability).

The International Olympic Committee instructed International Federations (IFs) to develop their own policies on the inclusion of transgender athletes. The World Rugby Union, World Aquatics, World Athletics, World Cricket and the International Cycling Union are among IFs that have since taken the position that sex segregation is necessary to ensure fairness and safety for female participants.

National Sport Organizations (NSOs) are bound by these policies when hosting International Federations - sanctioned events.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics (CCES) issued guidance for NSOs in 2016 and, according to the CCES, is currently under review. Sport Canada has not endorsed this policy nor made its adoption by sport organizations a condition of funding.

Public opinion research demonstrates strong support for including transgender identifying athletes in new ways (e.g., open gender categories) that preserve fairness and safety for all.

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