Who decides the policies for sports?

The policymakers for the guidelines regarding transgender participation in sports differ depending on the level of competition and type of sport. 

In the United States, interscholastic youth sports are typically governed by the state’s interscholastic athletic association or the school board. The state legislature can also develop rules for interscholastic sports in public schools. Outside of schools, youth sports are decentralized in the United States and there is no one formal governing body. Policies are often developed by private clubs or nonprofits. Sometimes clubs will model the rules of the sport’s National Governing Body. National youth teams will follow the rules of the sport’s National Governing Body.

Collegiate sports are mostly governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA] or other athletic associations like the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics [NAIA]. However, the state legislature can also dictate certain policies, such as transgender inclusion in sports, for public institutions or those who receive federal funds. 

At the professional level, policies are developed by the league, such as the National Women’s Soccer League [NWSL]. Some leagues will follow the rules of the National Governing Body. The National Governing Body, such as the United States Soccer or United States of America Track and Field [USATF], develops sports for national competitions. Some National Governing Bodies, such as USATF, align their policies with their International Federation, such as World Athletics for USATF). For the Olympic and Paralympic games, policies are developed by the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, respectively. Oftentimes, International Federations and National Governing Bodies align their policies with the International Olympic Committee. 

Since different sports, and different levels of sports, are governed by different organizations, each sport develops its own trans athlete policies. Sometimes there is overlap between sports or levels of the same sport, so policies can be similar. However, this is not always the case and so it is best to always check with your most direct governing body. To find the policy relevant for your competition, first identify the appropriate governing body for your sport and level of sport. You can use these charts to help you identify the appropriate organization. Then, go to the governing organization’s website and use search terms such as ‘transgender’, ‘transgender policy’, ‘transgender guidelines’, ‘gender identity’, or other variations, including ‘sex identification’. If available, search the handbook for these sections or under the governance section of the website. If you are unable to find a formal policy, reach out directly to the organization for more information. 

This blog was written by JD Dumbrowsky.