The row over trans athletes competing in women’s sports flared up again last night after a biological male was revealed to be part of Cambridge University’s female Boat Race squad.
Sarah Gibson was part of the Blondie crew – Cambridge’s second-line boat – that was beaten solidly by the Oxford University reserves in 2015.
Gibson, who now identifies as non-binary, was described by Stonewall in 2018 as “the first openly trans person to participate in [the race’s] 187-year history’.
Although Gibson was the student union’s trans representative, the usual tradition of listing competitors’ previous schools was dropped so as not to draw attention to the fact that Gibson had attended a prestigious boys’ institute.
Gibson’s inclusion in the women’s team caused a backlash yesterday.
Controversial choice: Sarah Gibson, circled, trains on the Thames with Cambridge University’s second-tier rowing team ahead of the prestigious 2015 Boat Race
Retired British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, an outspoken critic of trans athletes competing against women, told the Mail: ‘It’s wrong, I don’t believe anyone with a male puberty advantage should enter races designed for women’
Retired British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, an outspoken critic of trans athletes competing against women, told the Mail: ‘It’s wrong, I don’t believe anyone with a male puberty advantage should be entering races designed for women.
“A woman didn’t get a chance to be on that team and put that on her resume for the rest of her life.
“As far as I’m concerned, the women’s category should be reserved for women… we know there’s a huge performance difference, especially in something like rowing, you can have a mediocre male that can compete as an elite female.”
Dr. Nicola Williams, director of Fair Play For Women, said: ‘No one should be surprised by this. It’s what the rules allow. But it’s so blatantly unfair to female rowers.”
A former Oxford oarsman said news of Gibson’s inclusion came as a blow.
The mum-of-four, who was not named, said: ‘As an ex-Oxford rower and knowing how hard we train (and what the differences are between men and women, especially in terms of lung capacity), this really hits too hard. a lot of. Close to home.’
Gibson previously told Stonewall: ‘I’ve wanted to compete in the Boat Race since I was a kid and I was thrilled when I got the chance. The club and trainers were very helpful. Without such an inclusive environment I would not have been able to enjoy it or reach my full potential.”
A source familiar with the situation told the Telegraph: ‘Cambridge didn’t know what to do. Gibson already knew how to row, having learned to row at an elite boys’ school. The university felt that they should accept people as they said they were.
“All Gibson had to say was, ‘I’m a woman, I qualify for this crew.’ There was no mechanism to prove testosterone levels. Cambridge felt they should be inclusive, so they just accepted Gibson outright.’
Practice: Gibson on an indoor rower at Cambridge’s Goldie Boathouse
Aspiration: Gibson said the race was a childhood dream
The source added, “Everyone knew Gibson was biologically male. But they thought they weren’t allowed to ask personal questions about testosterone levels, being a legal woman, or surgeries. They thought that was much too personal and intimate. Nobody thought they could challenge.’
The 2015 Boat Race was hailed as a victory for equality as it was the first time women had the opportunity to race on the same stretch of the Thames as the men. The source continued, “It was a big party. It was decided not to show the schools the women had attended, as they did not want to draw attention to the fact that Gibson’s school was an all-boys school.
“In the end, a young woman missed the opportunity to wear her university colors and remain with the university rowing club for the rest of her life. Gibson stated that appearing in the race was a childhood dream. Yes, for you and many other people.
“There’s a big dinner every year now after the Boat Race…and a young woman wasn’t there because she didn’t get a chance to row that boat after a born man claimed to be a woman.” Jane Sullivan, a recently retired rowing coach, told the Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast, “When you’re in Blondie or one of the top boats, you’re part of an exclusive club. You can grab your Blondie blazer.
“It gives you access to this club of Blues and Half-Blues, and it stays with you for the rest of your life. The woman who missed in 2015 will never get her place in history. She will not be part of that club. And that disappoints me. I feel for her.’
The Daily Mail understands that at the time the Cambridge University Boat Club asked British Rowing for advice to allow Gibson to take part, as the club was at a loss as to what to do. British Rowing advised the club that it should allow Gibson to participate based on existing gender policies.
A consultation by British Rowing on its new transgender policy ended last night. Existing policies allow transgender women to participate in women’s events if they have low testosterone, following World Rowing’s approach.
But the organization’s president, Mark Davies, has asked World Rowing to follow the lead of athletics and swim bodies and create an open category for transgender women to compete in.
World Aquatics banned transgender women from the female category last year, and World Athletics confirmed this year that it will exclude athletes who have gone through male puberty from female competition.
Gibson, who works as a consultant in London, could not be reached for comment.
A spokesman for the Cambridge University Boat Club said it followed British Rowing’s guidelines in 2015 and continues to do so.