WMA Reiterates Advice to Physicians Not to Implement IAAF Rules on Classifying Women Athletes

The World Medical Association has reiterated its advice to physicians around the world to take no part in implementing new eligibility regulations for classifying female athletes.

It follows today’s decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport supporting IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) regulations requiring women athletes with specific differences in sex development to medically reduce their natural blood testosterone.

WMA President Dr. Leonid Eidelman said: ‘We have strong reservations about the ethical validity of these regulations. They are based on weak evidence from a single study, which is currently being widely debated by the scientific community. They are also contrary to a number of key WMA ethical statements and declarations, and as such we are calling for their immediate withdrawal’.