Peter Anderson ⚽ With the footy being on an international break I thought I would spend some time bringing you news on that other fave sport of the TPQ reader: swimming. 

Last week Lia Thomas won gold at the USA student championships. The interesting point of all this is that Lia Thomas is a trans woman and her victory has sparked a rather feverish debate on the subject of men transitioning to women and competing in women's sport. 

When Lia was a man, he was ranked 462nd; as a women, she wins gold and is ranked number one. It all kicked off on Twitter last week and was one of those threads that just sucks you in. On this side of the pond, former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies decried the victory as an attack on women's sport. She was roundly supported and attacked by the twitteratti. 

On the other side of the pond, the usual conservative groups were out demonstrating against the win, echoing much of what Davies was saying. Notably though, trans celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, also an ex-Olympian, spoke out against the inclusion of trans people in elite sport. It is strange, being socially liberal, to find myself on the same side as the conservatives, but you believe what you believe until convinced otherwise. 

Generally, I support trans rights and am conscious that many trans children take their own lives, much like gay children in conservative, religious environments. So, I am not going to join the ranks of the abuse givers, but on the issue of competitive sport I have yet to see a compelling argument for the inclusion of trans men in women's sport. 

The argument that Sharron Davies uses is compelling. Lia Thomas was allowed to compete as a female as she had taken testosterone blocking drugs for the required time, lowering her hormone level to that of a woman. Under official sporting rules that is all that is required, but as Davies points out anyone who has experienced a male puberty will have physiological differences to girls, specifically more muscle mass and, crucially, a higher VO2 Max. 

As a cyclist I know how crucial your VO2 Max is to how good a cyclist you will be. Your VO2 Max is how well your body processes the oxygen that you breathe to supply your muscles with energy. The average male has a VO2 Max of 42ml while a woman averages 31ml. Training may increase your score by 25%, but elite athletes are born with naturally higher levels. Tour de France winner Chris Froome was tested before a race and had a score of 88ml. So, while Lia had lowered levels of testosterone, she would have naturally bigger muscles producing naturally more energy. 

Depressingly, the chattering classes are now trying to get Davies to shut up and the push to have her cancelled is in full swing. They argue that she is being exclusive, but sport already is exclusive for reasons of fairness. Heavy-weights can't fight middle-weights for official titles and the under 50s can't enter Masters Cycling races. Trans people have the right to live how they want and be treated with respect, but a woman's right to fair sport should be inviolable.

Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports.

A Woman's Right To Fair Sport Should Be Inviolable

Peter Anderson ⚽ With the footy being on an international break I thought I would spend some time bringing you news on that other fave sport of the TPQ reader: swimming. 

Last week Lia Thomas won gold at the USA student championships. The interesting point of all this is that Lia Thomas is a trans woman and her victory has sparked a rather feverish debate on the subject of men transitioning to women and competing in women's sport. 

When Lia was a man, he was ranked 462nd; as a women, she wins gold and is ranked number one. It all kicked off on Twitter last week and was one of those threads that just sucks you in. On this side of the pond, former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies decried the victory as an attack on women's sport. She was roundly supported and attacked by the twitteratti. 

On the other side of the pond, the usual conservative groups were out demonstrating against the win, echoing much of what Davies was saying. Notably though, trans celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, also an ex-Olympian, spoke out against the inclusion of trans people in elite sport. It is strange, being socially liberal, to find myself on the same side as the conservatives, but you believe what you believe until convinced otherwise. 

Generally, I support trans rights and am conscious that many trans children take their own lives, much like gay children in conservative, religious environments. So, I am not going to join the ranks of the abuse givers, but on the issue of competitive sport I have yet to see a compelling argument for the inclusion of trans men in women's sport. 

The argument that Sharron Davies uses is compelling. Lia Thomas was allowed to compete as a female as she had taken testosterone blocking drugs for the required time, lowering her hormone level to that of a woman. Under official sporting rules that is all that is required, but as Davies points out anyone who has experienced a male puberty will have physiological differences to girls, specifically more muscle mass and, crucially, a higher VO2 Max. 

As a cyclist I know how crucial your VO2 Max is to how good a cyclist you will be. Your VO2 Max is how well your body processes the oxygen that you breathe to supply your muscles with energy. The average male has a VO2 Max of 42ml while a woman averages 31ml. Training may increase your score by 25%, but elite athletes are born with naturally higher levels. Tour de France winner Chris Froome was tested before a race and had a score of 88ml. So, while Lia had lowered levels of testosterone, she would have naturally bigger muscles producing naturally more energy. 

Depressingly, the chattering classes are now trying to get Davies to shut up and the push to have her cancelled is in full swing. They argue that she is being exclusive, but sport already is exclusive for reasons of fairness. Heavy-weights can't fight middle-weights for official titles and the under 50s can't enter Masters Cycling races. Trans people have the right to live how they want and be treated with respect, but a woman's right to fair sport should be inviolable.

Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports.

22 comments:

  1. I happened upon a boy's under 12 Rugby match down here in which one kid was either a Maori or some other Pacific Islander. He must have been 15 stone and almost 6 foot. He barreled through the other boys like something out of a cartoon. Not long after I found out they changed the rules to a weight division because this was quite common. I couldn't give a monkeys about transgender sensitivities we all have to live with the hand we are dealt. I'm sorry they feel they way they do but life sucks, wear a helmet if it really bothers you that much. But putting a biological male who has went through puberty with all the benefits physically that gives them against a biological female is just bollocks. What is it going to take? A man pretending to be a woman boxer putting a biologically female boxer in hospital? Only humans could be so weird. I've never heard of a transgender gorilla silverback, honey badger, wolf or any other such nonsense in the animal kingdom save us two legged, naked, hairless apes!

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  2. The Dictatorship of the Woketariat will be wheeling out the guillotine for you Peter. Its Committee of Public Safety will deem you a threat to safe thinking.

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  3. Steve R
    The galling part is that sports authorities are going along with it. I get that people who aren't into sport are not worried about fair competition but sports authorities? They've no balls!!!

    AM
    They'll be coming for you too!

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    Replies
    1. that goes without saying!

      You raise many ideas here and no insults. If people want to take a religious attitude and accuse you of blaspheming against their beliefs on this issue, too bad.

      Delete
    2. Peter

      Your use of science knowledge really does bring a much needed rationality and evidence base to this toxic issue.

      Delete
  4. Barry
    Thanks but I'm no expert. The authorities just use testosterone levels but admit that more research is needed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter

      Thought this may be of interest to you:

      https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/mar/30/trans-cyclist-emily-bridges-banned-from-racing-at-british-meeting-after-uci-ruling?fr=operanews

      Delete
  5. I'v been watching womens football recently, something at one point I would have laughed at back in the seventies+eighties. Man Utd Man City was on tele a couple of weeks back, the fucking blues beat us. No VAR crap and, despite the result, a good game. Long may it last minus the corruption of the game, at so-called top level, played by men. Who knows, in years to come we might see a Georgina Best, a Roberta Charlton and a Dennise Law๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ⚽️⚽️๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿบ๐Ÿบ๐Ÿบ๐Ÿบ๐Ÿ˜„๐Ÿ™‚๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ⚽️⚽️

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

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    Replies
    1. probably heresy to your ears Caoimhin but I have started to enjoy VAR !!!

      Delete
  6. Heresy is right Anthony, vandalism of what was once a great game. Just for the record mo chara, if you were stood on the Jungle at Parkhead or the Anfield Kop, and Celtic or Liverpool had scored, the fans particularly at Celtic are going rampant -pandamonium - with celebrations, and the ref holds up play for five minuets to assertain if a players bootlace deemed him offside causing panic among the faithful, would you still "enjoy" VAR?

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. don't know - but at the minute the suspense of it is working for me

      Delete
    2. Caoimhin

      VAR has been in operation in the Women's CL QFs in which there has been outstanding action and a record 91,000+ attendance for a women's football match at the Nou Camp last night.

      Delete
  7. At home by your television maybe, it makes me want to throw my television through the window๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜ฌ, not a wise move. Next season, Anthony, another digressive rule change regards substitutions is coming in. From next season five subs from nine will be permitted. For me, three is one too many, the next we know is two different elevens will be playing for both competing sides, one for each half. Found this out today from MUFC News.

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

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    Replies
    1. the game like everything else changes. If things didn't change we would still be living in caves. I am sure there will always be a curmudgeon longing for the good old days of the cave!!

      Delete
  8. I rekon, if you were on the terraces and such an incident arose you, along with thousands of others, would be cursing the ref, definately questioning his paternity!๐Ÿ˜‡๐Ÿ˜‡๐Ÿ™ƒ, or lack of!!!!

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

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  9. Caoimhin
    Hating VAR is so passรฉ! There are no more off-sides for a toenail being over the line. All the major defects have been ironed out, just a few minor ones to go. All in all it is fair. I'm with Mackers on this one.

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  10. Barry
    I read that too. I've been following that story with interest, also Sharron Davies twitter feed!

    ReplyDelete
  11. If VAR was used retrospectively England would have won fuck all in 66!

    Is it really so bad Caomhin?? lol

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  12. Yes it is so bad Steve. Reference the iffy goal, which may or may not have been in 66 that was, and still should be, football. I think Ramsay had a good English eleven that year and 3-2 may have been a fairer result than 4-2. Can I ask, how many games yourself, and Peter have attended in your football supporter carreers? I can understand the attraction for armchair viewers, but for those of us who attend games, and I still do occassionally at FCUM, though a shadow of yesteryear, VAR is a fucking ruination. Thankfully at FC we do not have it, meaning two sets of rules for the same game!! There was no VAR at the womens United v City game I watched and, as far as I know, many representatives of the womens game are against VAR.

    As for living in caves, Anthony, I'd like to get that VAR equipment, and the tossers who feel qualified to referree a game via television, and bury them in a deep, very deep cave.

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

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    Replies
    1. " Can I ask, how many games yourself, and Peter have attended in your football supporter carreers?"

      Including amateur games? Well into the hundreds plus I coach u13/u14 football and futsal.

      VAR is in because there is simply so much riding on games these days, though Rangers were denied two stonewall pens yesterday so VAR must not be in Scotland (Celtic were still by far the better team).

      Delete
  13. Oh, can I add, all these wastes of space punters, Neville, Carragher, and Keane (sorry Roy you've changed sides) along with commentators like Tyler should be replaced with Man Utd fans from the seventies and eighties, like me๐Ÿ˜‡, complete with Brown Ale and Jamesons๐Ÿง‘‍๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿง‘‍๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿบ๐Ÿบ⚽️⚽️⚽️๐Ÿบ๐Ÿฅƒ๐Ÿฅƒ making it a proper family game.

    Caoimhin O'Muraile

    ReplyDelete