Trans athletes have NO advantage over women, controversial study says

"Transgender women possess no physical advantage over those who were born female, a controversial study claims. Researchers from the University of Sao Paolo in Brazil analysed the strength, fitness and body composition of transgender people undergoing hormonal treatment compared to cisgender individuals. Their findings suggest that while transgender women still have greater muscle mass following hormone therapy, their physical fitness is 'comparable' to other females."

"Based on the findings, the team claims their data 'does not justify blanket bans' on trans women taking part in women's sport. However, several scientists have slammed the study, and say it 'suffers from several problems'. Alun Williams, a professor of sport and exercise genomics at Manchester Metropolitan University, argues that fitness levels were not tracked over time and before treatment began, and that it is 'almost worthless to compare groups without tight assessment of training history'."

"'Furthermore, hormonal treatment after puberty doesn't change skeletal dimensions like height, limb length, or shoulder width, so those advantages to men in many sports remain in transgender women regardless of hormone changes,' he added. 'I don't agree with the authors that the studies published to date, or their review of them, overturn the evidence for inherent athletic advantage in transgender women.'"

Researchers compared strength, fitness and body composition of transgender people undergoing hormonal treatment with cisgender individuals. The analysis found that transgender women retained greater muscle mass after hormone therapy while exhibiting physical fitness comparable to other females. The research team concluded that the data do not justify blanket bans on trans women participating in women's sport. Multiple scientists criticized the analysis for methodological limitations, noting absence of pre-treatment and longitudinal fitness tracking and lack of control for training history. Critics also emphasized that hormonal treatment after puberty does not alter skeletal dimensions such as height, limb length, or shoulder width.

Read at Mail Online