Paralympics under pressure to follow Olympics transgender athlete ban as battle for 'same rights' rages on

The policy shift would mark a significant departure from current regulations, which allow individual sports federations to determine eligibility based on testosterone thresholds.

The Women's Rights Network has criticised the Paralympic governing body for failing to address concerns about fairness in female competitions.

The advocacy group took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to voice their concerns about the organisation's stance.

They labelled the body "well behind the curve" on the trans debate.

They added: "We well remember the Paris Paralympics where 50-something Italian male Valentina (formerly Fabrizio) Petrillo raced young women in the T12 400 and 200 metre races for partially-sighted athletes.

"While the President of the Paralympic Games, Andrew Parsons, is on record as saying he’s not in favour of a blanket ban on transgender athletes we think it’s time he made the rules fair for females.

"No one is calling for a ban. We just want female sports to be for females only. Paralympic athletes deserve the same rights to fairness as their Olympic peers."

Their statement directly challenged the IPC's current approach to transgender participation in women's events.

The Italian sprinter, who transitioned eight years ago and obtained a female passport in 2023, competed after meeting testosterone requirements set by athletics' officials.

Despite criticism from prominent figures, including author JK Rowling, who labelled her an "out and proud cheat", Petrillo remained defiant.

"I'm not bothered what JK Rowling or anyone else says, I'm just here for myself and my family. There's a lot of transphobia out there and I'm here only to compete and ignoring that outside noise," the athlete stated last year.

Petrillo ultimately did not advance to the finals of the 200m or 400m races.

Andrew Parsons, who leads the IPC, has publicly stated his opposition to implementing comprehensive restrictions on trans competitors. Meanwhile, the IOC's proposed changes face a lengthy implementation process.

Sources familiar with the matter suggest the new Olympic regulations could require between half a year and twelve months to gain formal approval.

The reforms represent a key priority for newly elected IOC president Kirsty Coventry, who advocated for safeguarding women's categories during her election campaign.

The timing remains uncertain, with some reports indicating a potential announcement in February, although the IOC has confirmed no formal decisions have been reached.

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