Transgender women banned from women's chess events

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) says it is temporarily banning transgender women from competing successful its women's events.

The FIDE said idiosyncratic cases would necessitate "further analysis" and that a determination could instrumentality up to 2 years.

The determination has been criticised by immoderate players and enthusiasts.

Many sports governing bodies person been moving connected policies towards transgender athletes, but chess does not impact comparable levels of carnal activity.

Yosha Iglesias, who is simply a trans pistillate nonrecreational chess subordinate who holds the FIDE fertile of chess master, said the argumentation would pb to "unnecessary harm" for trans players and women.

"This appalling concern volition pb to slump and termination attempts," Iglesias said.

Woman Grandmaster and Two-time US Women's Champion Jennifer Shahade besides criticised the FIDE decision, saying the argumentation was "ridiculous and dangerous".

"It's evident they didn't consult with immoderate transgender players successful constructing it... I powerfully impulse FIDE to reverse people connected this and commencement from scratch with amended consultants," Ms Shahade said.

UK MP Angela Eagle, who was a associated victor of the 1976 British Girls' Under-18 chess championship, said: "There is nary carnal vantage successful chess unless you judge men are inherently much capable to play than women - I spent my chess vocation being told women's brains were smaller than men's and we shouldn't adjacent beryllium playing."

"This prohibition is ridiculous and violative to women," she added.

In its argumentation decision, FIDE besides said that trans men who had won women's titles earlier transitioning would spot their titles abolished.

FIDE did not respond to requests for further remark from the Associated Press quality bureau connected Thursday. The BBC has besides approached FIDE for comment.

Chess is classified arsenic a athletics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Meanwhile connected Wednesday World Aquatics said it would debut a new unfastened class for transgender athletes astatine this year's Swimming World Cup lawsuit successful Berlin aft it voted past twelvemonth to halt transgender athletes from competing successful women's elite races.