Swimming to set up 'open category' for transgender athletes - federation

Swimming intends to become the first sport to set up an ‘open category’ to allow transgender athletes to compete in a separate class at the elite level, Husain Al-Musallam, president of governing body FINA, announced on Sunday.

“I do not want any athlete to be told they cannot compete at the highest level,” Al-Musallam told an extraordinary congress of his organisation.

“I will set up a working group to set up an open category at our meets. We will be the first federation to do that.”