Transgender athletes and women’s sport

Sir, – I completely agree with Sonia O'Sullivan on the issue of transgender athletes in women's sports ("Transgender athletes cannot be allowed to compete in women's sport", Sport, March 24th). Using criteria such as testosterone levels just complicates an issue where there is a simple genetic solution: anyone possessing a Y chromosome should not be allowed to compete in women's sport. Trans women and some DSD females will have a Y chromosome in every cell in their body, and no matter what steps are taken to change gender, the developmental differences due to this chromosome will persist. – Yours, etc,

MARGARET WORRALL,

Dublin.

Sir, – It is with dismay I read Sonia O’Sullivan blatantly “othering” trans athletes and those with DSD (“Differences in Sexual Development”) who dare to compete in women’s events.

READ SOME MORE

The census will not be recording trans people, who apparently represent less than 1 per cent of the population.

Easy to erase what you don’t record.

The sentiment of the article could be pictorially represented by those black-and-white photos of Kathrine Switzer being physically pushed out of the fateful Boston marathon by men. – Yours, etc,

Dr BRIAN

KENNEDY,

Nenagh,

Co Tipperary.