Reflection: Inclusion of Transgender Athletes in Sport

Marie-Lorraine Weiss
7 hours ago
4 min read

Inclusion in sport: little Belgium as a compass in a world searching for meaning

While debates on the inclusion of transgender athletes continue to stir the international sports scene, Belgium — with its characteristic blend of pragmatism and surrealism — has chosen a clear path: that of unconditional welcome. Without any intention of lecturing others, our freediving federation simply decided that water, the element that unites us, should never become a place of division. This is the story of a reflection that we hope will bring a measure of calm to an ocean that is sometimes turbulent.

Diving into deep waters: more than a sport, a philosophy

Before unfolding our reasoning, it is essential to recall what freediving truly is. Far more than a timed performance, it is an introspection, a silent dialogue with oneself and with the aquatic element. It is a discipline that teaches humility, control and respect. It is in this spirit that our federation approached the question of inclusion: if freediving is a meeting with oneself, who are we to invalidate an athlete’s identity?

AIDA Belgium’s decision to officially welcome transgender athletes — fully aligned with the European legal framework — is therefore not an isolated activist gesture. It is the logical extension of the very philosophy of our sport. While many federations are still questioning the feasibility or fairness of such a measure, we have chosen to reject all forms of discrimination and to open our lanes without reservation. Our aim is simple: to reassure, clarify and inspire.

Understanding the counter‑currents: why is this debate so intense?

To grasp the importance of this position, we must look at the global context. For several years now, we have witnessed a coordinated backlash against the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, often carried under a misleading banner: the “protection of women”.

This argument, wielded like a shield, serves as a pretext to attack what some call “gender ideology”. In reality, the true target is any challenge to traditional gender roles, gender equality, and — most sharply — the rights of transgender people.

Sport has become, often unwillingly, a cultural battleground. Some claim to “save” women’s sport by excluding trans women. This narrative rings hollow when we observe how little effort its proponents devote to equal pay, media visibility for female athletes, or improving their infrastructures. It is a well‑worn political strategy: target a small, already‑stigmatized group in order to push back the very idea that gender can be self‑determined.

The illusion of the “real woman”: a trap for all women

At the heart of the issue lies the attempt to define what a “real woman” is. By allowing a state or a federation to claim that authority, we open Pandora’s box. Today, trans women are excluded. Tomorrow, the bodies of all cisgender women will be scrutinized.

The history of sport is full of such excesses. Femininity tests, originally designed to detect imaginary fraud, have mostly served to humiliate and exclude athletes deemed “too masculine”, “too muscular”, or “too performant”. These mechanisms — a true “policing of bodies” — have caused well‑documented harm: broken careers, loss of dignity, psychological trauma.

Every time systems have been put in place to “verify” gender, it is women as a whole who have paid the price.

Biology: an ocean of nuance, not a binary switch

Exclusive arguments often rely on a simplistic view of biology: XX for a woman, XY for a man. Full stop. Yet science teaches us a far more complex and nuanced reality. Variations in sexual development (intersex variations) are natural and far from rare. Major sports institutions abandoned universal chromosomal testing in the 1990s, acknowledging its scientific weakness and ethical flaws.

Trying to “protect women” by hunting for “fake women” is a dangerous illusion. Protecting the rights of trans people is, on the contrary, a way to close the door on mechanisms that have historically been used against all women.

The Belgian approach: equality cannot be divided

In the face of this global regression, Belgium’s decision is a counter‑current. It is a strong political gesture affirming that human rights are non‑negotiable. We refuse to pit women’s rights against LGBTQIA+ rights. They advance together or they retreat together.

The history of sporting struggles reminds us: for the inclusion of women, people of colour, or athletes with disabilities, the same objections were raised. “It’s not fair”, “it will distort the competition”. Today, Belgium proudly stands in the lineage of these advances.

By opening our competitions, we are simply applying the fundamental principle of our discipline: serenity. We refuse to let fear and misinformation dictate who has the right to dive beside us. By protecting trans people, we are in fact protecting all women from body policing.

A stance that we hope will inspire others to take the plunge toward calm and universal inclusion. After all, as a well‑known Belgian bar philosopher once said: once underwater, we are all a little blue — and above all, silent. And that, at least, brings everyone together.

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