Sport timeline: how did we get here?

International Olympic Committee approves policy for post-operative transsexuals to compete in women’s events, expects it to be extremely rare.

UK Sports Council Equality Group (SCEG) publishes guidance for transgender inclusion in female events based on testosterone suppression. Widely adopted by UK sports bodies despite no processes for monitoring compliance. Hence in practice largely a self-ID policy.

IOC consults Joanna Harper, amends policy to require 12 months of testosterone suppression below 10 nmol.

Fair Play For Women starts raising concerns with UK and international sports federations. Nicola Williams raises concerns about sport on BBC Woman’s Hour, in discussion of proposed GRA changes.

We work with Sharron Davies MBE to raise awareness, including a letter to the IOC signed by 60 Olympians (no reply); lobbying sport governing bodies in the UK; meetings with Sport England; and a public meeting with 750 attendees.

World Rugby announces its new policy: for female safety, no males will be permitted to play women’s international matches. National federations do not adopt the policy.

British Cycling and the Rugby Football Union run consultations on transgender policy, but no results published.

New IOC guidance abandons testosterone suppression, says there should be “no presumed advantage” and tells sports to make their own rules.

Trans-identifying male swimmer Lia Thomas wins and sets new records in women’s events at the Ivy League Championship and the NCAA championship in the USA. A trans-identifying female swims in the same event, the women’s competition.

Trans-identifying male cyclist Emily Bridges is stopped from racing to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in the Wales women’s team by opposition from female cyclists

British Cycling withdraws its transgender inclusion policy, consults with its international federation, UCI.

FINA, the international swimming federation, announces a new policy excluding anyone who has been through male puberty from female competition. British Triathlon announces a new policy re-establishing the female category for those born female. UK government minister responsible for sport hosts a round-table meeting of sport chief executives asking for policies that restore the female category.

The Rugby Football Union (governing rugby union in England) and Rugby Football League (governing rugby league in England)adopt a revised policy following their international federations, restricting female full-contact rugby to those born female.

World Triathlon announces a revised policy based on two years of testosterone suppression and a requirement not to have competed in men’s events for four years. World Boxing announces that its policy will remain sex-based. The Irish RFU and Welsh Rugby adopt sex-based policies as per the RFU and RFL

In response to proposals from World Athletics, UK Athletics states that testosterone suppression does not work and calls for clarity in UK law. The Equality and Human Rights Commission responds with a statement that it is lawful to exclude all males, even those with a Gender Recognition Certificate, from female sport.

In a surprise announcement, World Athletics announces that female events will be open only to those born female, with effect from March 31st.