First out transgender paralympian set to compete in Paris 2024
Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo will compete in the Paralympic Games, held from 28 August to 8 September
By Dale Fox
A visually impaired sprinter from Italy is poised to make history as the first out transgender athlete to compete in the Paralympic Games.
Valentina Petrillo, a 50-year-old who transitioned in 2019, has been selected to represent Italy in the women’s T12 200m and 400m events at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Petrillo’s participation marks a significant moment for transgender inclusion in elite parasport. In a statement (via BBC Sport), she described her selection as “an important symbol of inclusion.”
Before her transition, Petrillo won 11 national titles in the men’s category. Since transitioning, she has continued to excel, winning bronze medals in both the 200m and 400m events at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris.
Trans inclusivity in sports remains topic of debate
The inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports remains a topic of intense debate. In March 2023, World Athletics, the governing body for track and field sports, announced a ban on transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in elite female competitions at international events.
Lord Sebastian Coe, the organisation’s president, stated that the decision was “guided by the overarching principle which is to protect the female category.”
Critics of transgender inclusion in women’s sports argue that athletes who have gone through male puberty may retain physical advantages, even after transitioning. However, supporters contend that excluding transgender athletes amounts to discrimination.
LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall expressed disappointment with World Athletics’ decision earlier this year, noting that there was no specific evidence to justify the ban.
It is so disappointing to see World Athletics announce a unilateral ban on trans women in track and field events.
— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) March 23, 2023
Their own statement recognises that there are no trans women competing at an international level and that they have no specific evidence to justify the ban.
The policies regarding transgender athletes vary across different sports and governing bodies. While World Athletics has implemented a ban, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) allows its sport-specific bodies to set their own policies. World Para Athletics currently permits individuals legally recognised as women to compete in women’s events.
Andrew Parsons, president of the IPC, told BBC Sport that while Petrillo is welcome to compete under current World Para Athletics policies, he desires to see the sporting world unite on transgender policies.
The Paris Paralympic Games are scheduled to run from 28 August to 8 September 2024.