Transgender runner CeCe Telfer has been deemed ineligible to compete in the 400m hurdles at the US Olympic trials. The decision was made because she did not meet the criteria established by World Athletics when it came to her eligibility for certain events, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jun/24/cece-telfer-transgender-runner-olympic-trials">the Guardian</a> reports. She had previously competed for the men's team at Division II Franklin Pierce, before taking a break and returning to compete as a woman. Telfer went on to win the NCAA title in 2019. The guidelines released by World Athletics in 2019 determined that transgender women could only compete if their testosterone levels were below 5 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) for a year. <img class="wp-image-1263114930 size-full" src="https://img.vt.co/2021/06/Olympic-1.jpg" alt="The women's 400m event." width="760" height="475" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: Alamy / WENN Rights Ltd]] Telfer's manager, David McFarland, said that she was respecting the decision to have her denied entry to the Olympic trials. "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. USATF said in a statement that athletes can only compete in the US Olympic trials if they meet the requirements for the team itself, which are governed by World Athletics. It further explained: "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 US Olympic Team Trials. According to subsequent notification to CeCe from World Athletics on June 22, she has not been able to demonstrate her eligibility." [[twitterwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/CPevxOrFmAg/]] As per <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/olympics/story/_/id/31697910/transgender-runner-cece-telfer-ruled-ineligible-us-olympic-trials">ESPN</a>, Telfer said in a blog published by Women's Health last week: "I love what I'm doing and I'm getting to live my truth and live my authentic life. I believe that this is my way of being the change that I want to see in the world. And I live by that every single day." The USATF said in a statement cited by the Guardian that it "strongly supports inclusivity and providing a clear path to participation in the sport for all, while also maintaining competitive fairness." "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," the statement said. <h6>Featured image credit: Alamy / Sergey Shunevich</h6>

Transgender runner ruled ineligible for US Olympic trials

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