POLE PEDAL PADDLE TRANSGENDER ATHLETE POLICY

GOAL

The Pole Pedal Paddle (“PPP”) supports diversity and inclusion with regards to gender identity. The goal of the PPP Transgender Policy (this “Policy”) is to establish guidelines that encourage and facilitate the participation of transgender athletes in the PPP. Additionally, the objective of this policy is to put into place fair and inclusive practices that respect the personal rights and dignity of all athletes.

YOUTH & CITIZEN RACERS

Due to the physical and emotional complexity of youth questioning, exploring, and/or undergoing gender transition, the self-declared gender during registration of all athletes younger than 18 will be accepted at face-value. The self-declared gender of citizen racers, who are over the age of 18 but not eligible for cash prizes, will also be accepted at face-value. Therefore, this policy applies only to athletes who are both over the age of 18 and registered in the Elite Category of the PPP. 

GENERAL RULES – ELITE CATEGORY

A male-to-female transgender athlete (assigned male at birth) can compete as a female in the Elite category provided the athlete has been undergoing continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition for at least one year prior to the event. The athlete should possess clear medical documentation of serum testosterone levels consistently below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to competition. 

A female-to-male transgender athlete (assigned female at birth) can register to compete as a male in the Elite category with no restrictions. A female-to-male transgender athlete can no longer register to compete as a female if the athlete has begun hormone therapy related to their gender transition that includes use of testosterone or any other substance banned in sport. 

POLICY ENFORCEMENT – ELITE CATEGORY

An athlete’s self-declared gender at registration for the Elite Category of the PPP will be accepted at face value. There shall be no basis for, or tolerance of, questioning an athlete’s self-declared gender. However, in order to uphold MBSEF’s values of Commitment, Honesty, Accountability, Sportsmanship and Excellence, MBSEF strongly encourages all trans female athletes who register in the Elite category to provide medical documentation related to their gender transition to the PPP’s Race Director 2 weeks prior to the event. This request comes with the hope that, come race day, all involved will be focused on competition and celebration, with the ultimate goal of keeping racers’ medical qualifications private. Any information about the athlete’s gender identity and medical information, including any information provided pursuant to this Policy, shall be kept strictly confidential.

Adopted: January 26, 2024