CeCe Telfer, a transgender athlete, will not be allowed to compete in the 400 meter hurdles for the women’s portion.
The US Olympic trials will be located in Oregon, and she has not passed the test in order to meet the required testosterone requirements.
USA Track & Field said that she would be able to compete in the future as long as her testosterone levels are below five nonomoles. For now, they are a bit too high and this plays a major factor of what is restricting her from competing.
Normally, the 5 nmol/L is considered to be the highest that a cisgender woman would hold by nature. This number has been set in 2019 by the World Athletics to measure those women who want to compete in races that go from 400 meters and a mile.
The USATF had confirmed that Tefler did not meet the required goal by June 22nd, hence why she is held back from competing. The statement goes as follows, “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”.
David McFarland, CeCe’s manager, respects the decision but acknowledges that his client, CeCe, had “turned her focus towards the future and is continuing to train. She will compete on the national – and world – stage again soon”.
The news comes in after Piers Morgan had commented that transgender woman competing in the Olympics is a mistake.
Telfer’s career consists of participating in the NCAA Women’s Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships back in 2019. The only requirement at the time from a transgender athlete is that they must complete one year of hormone treatment in order to participate on the female team.
Before her transition, she was running with the men’s team located at Franklin Pierce. She had ranked 200th back in 2016. Fast forward to 2019, she was rewarded with a national title during the 400 meter hurdles, being labeled an All-American.
In the Times, CeCe Telfer’s profile describes her struggles and difficulties trying to prepare for the Olympic trials while the pandemic was going on.point 257 |
Due to certain restraints, she could not find a coach to support her.point 57 | She had trained for a short period of time in Mexico before returning to New Hampshire, having to sleep in her car for a bit before she moved in with her former psychologist.point 199 | 1
She says that it is important for her to do it because she needs to “do it for my people — whether it be women, Black people, transgender people, LGBTQ people — anybody who is scrutinized and oppressed”.