Transgender runner ruled ineligible for US Olympic trials

A transgender runner will not be allowed to compete in the U.S. Olympic trials after not meeting hormone eligibility qualifications for some women’s events. 

CeCe Telfer will not compete in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic trials due to guidelines released by World Athletics, which sets requirements to be eligible for the Olympic games, The Associated Press reported.

The organization in 2019 closed international women’s events between 400 meters and a mile to athletes who do not meet specific requirements, one of which is that an athlete’s testosterone levels must be below 5 nanomoles per liter for at least a year.

David McFarland, Telfer’s manager, told the AP that she will respect the decision from the organization.

“CeCe has turned her focus towards the future and is continuing to train. She will compete on the national — and world — stage again soon,” McFarland said.

USA Track & Field (USATF) said in a statement to The Hill that Telfer met the performance standard for the women’s 400-meter hurdles, but she did not meet World Athletics’ conditions for transgender athletes. 

“Following notification from World Athletics on June 17 that the conditions had not yet been met, USATF provided CeCe with the eligibility requirements and, along with World Athletics, the opportunity to demonstrate her eligibility so that she could compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.”

“According to subsequent notification to CeCe from World Athletics on June 22, she has not been able to demonstrate her eligibility,” the organization continued.

The athletic organization added, “If CeCe meets the conditions for transgender athlete participation in the future, we wholeheartedly back her participation in international events as a member of Team USATF.”