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The California State Athletic Commission’s upcoming transgender fighter regulations

By Zach Arnold | February 6, 2014

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Next Monday at the California State Athletic Commission’s meeting in Los Angeles, a number of new rules & regulations will be voted on to start the bureaucratic process of implementation that must take place in Sacramento through the Office of Administrative Law.

The wave of new regulations includes a provision for Andy Foster to use BJJ blue belts & purple belts as MMA judges/officials; a new testosterone policy by Dr. VanBuren Ross Lemons; and a new policy regarding distribution of money from the boxer’s pension fund.

However, the main event in the wave of new regulations is a new transgender policy that will undoubtedly gain a lot of media attention. How it is enforced in the future is something that a lot of people will be paying close attention to. Will the commission notify male/female fighters ahead of time if their opponent is a transgender fighter?

Here is the text of the proposed transgender policy that will be voted on Monday. We’ve copied the text here for reading & discussion purposes.

Chapter 6. Transgender Athletes

Article 1. General Provisions

830. Definitions.

(a) “Gender Identity” is an individual’s internal, deeply-felt sense of being male or female. Everyone has a gender identity, which may or may not correspond to a person’s sex at birth.

(b) “Transgender” individuals are people with a gender identity that is different from their birth sex. A transgender male is a person who lives and identifies as a male, but who was born as a female. A transgender female is a person who lives and identifies as female, but who was born as a male.

(c) “Gender Dysphoria” refers to the serious medical condition codified in the United States diagnostic manual (DSM-V) and the International Classification of Diseases (World Health Organization). Gender Dysphoria is characterized by intense and persistent discomfort with one’s sex characteristics — one’s birth sex. The suffering that arises has often been described as “being trapped in the wrong body.”

(d) “Health Care Provider” includes any licensed doctors of medicine or osteopathy authorized to practice medicine or surgery under State law, as well as nurse practitioners or physician’s assistants authorized to practice under State law and performing within the scope of their practice as defined under State law.

NOTE: Authority cited: Section 18611, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 18640 and 18642 Business and Professions Code.

831. Transgender Female Athletes (Male to Female)

(a) Transgender female (male to female) athletes who are not undergoing hormone therapy related to gender transition and without gonadectomy may participate in men’s events.

(b) A transgender female athlete who has had a gonadectomy shall be eligible for licensure and participation in women’s competitions under the following conditions:

(i) Written confirmation by a state-licensed physician or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) qualified to treat transgender individuals has confirmed that hormone therapy has been administered by a Health Care Provider for a minimum of 2 years after gonadectomy.
(ii) A letter from the physician or D.O. responsible for the care of the applicant that must include the following:

a. Name of surgeon who performed the gonadectomy and the date and location of surgery
b. Initial date hormone therapy began after gonadectomy (and prior to surgery, if relevant);
c. Hormone name/type, dose and interval of administration over the past two years:
d. Name, dose and duration of any anti-androgen treatment used over the past two years.

(c) A transgender female athlete who is undergoing hormone therapy but has not had a gonadectomy shall be eligible for licensure and participate in women’s competitions under the following conditions:

(i) Written confirmation by a state-licensed physician or D.O. qualified to treat transgender individuals has confirmed that hormone therapy has been administered by a Health Care Provider for a minimum of two years.
(ii) A letter from the physician or D.O. responsible for the care of the applicant that must include the following:

a. Initial date hormone therapy began;
b. Hormone name/type, dose and interval of administration over the past two years;
c. Lab reports of estradiol and testosterone levels with aogal of serum estradiol levels within the normal range for healthy premenopausal women (<200 pg/ml: lab specific) and suppression of testosterone levels to those normally found in women (<55 ng/dl; lab specific for the past two years; d. Name, dose and duration of any anti-androgen treatment used over the past two years. NOTE: Authority cited: Section 18611, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 18640, 18641 18642 18648 18661; and 18714, Business and Professions Code. 832. Transgender Male Athletes (female to male):

(a) Transgender male (female to male) athletes who are not taking testosterone related to gender transition may participate in women’s events.

(b) A transgender male athlete who is undergoing hormone treatment shall be eligible for licensure and participation in male competitions under the following conditions:

(i) A state-licensed physician or D.O. qualified to treat transgender individuals has confirmed that hormone therapy has been administered by a Health Care Provider for a minimum of 2 years.
(ii) A letter from the physician or D.O. responsible for the care of the applicant that must include the following:

1. Initial date of hormone therapy;
2. Hormone name/type, dose and interval of administration for the past six months;
3. Lab reports of estradiol and testosterone levels for the past six months with a goal of serum estradiol levels within the normal range for healthy men (lab specific and testosterone levels within the range for healthy men >300 ng/dl – the upper level of the normal range; lab specific).

NOTE: Authority cited: Section 18611, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 18640, 18641. 18642, 18648, 18661 18711 and 18714, Business and Professions Code.

833. Provisions Applicable to All Transgender Athletes

(a) Should any questions arise regarding the credibility of an applicant’s medical documentation or treatment, the commission has discretion to request additional information, including but not limited to, details regarding the education, certifications, and disciplinary inary history of treating physicians/D.O.’s, and; additional lab reports showing estradiol and testosterone levels (or other related blood work) from certified and reliable laboratories.

(b) Pre-Fight and Day of Fight Testing Requirements:

(1) Two weeks before a scheduled fight, transgender female athletes who have not had a gonadectomy must submit the following documentation: Lab reports of estradiol and testosterone levels for the past six months showing serum estradiol levels within the normal range for healthy premenopausal women (<200 p /g mlml; lab specific) and suppression of testosterone levels to those normally found in women <55 ng/dl; lab specific). Repeat elevated testosterone levels during the 6 months prior to the fight may be grounds for disqualification or other disciplinary action. (2) Two weeks before a scheduled fight, transgender male athletes being treated with hormone therapy must submit the following documentation: Lab reports of estradiol and testosterone levels for the past six months showing serum erum estradiol levels within the normal range for healthy men (lab specific) and testosterone levels within the range for healthy men >300 ngldl — the upper level of the normal range; lab specific.

(3) The day prior to any scheduled fight, transgender male athletes must submit the time, date, amount and method of the last dose of testosterone or any other similar medications administered.

(4) On the day of any scheduled fight, the commission shall test testosterone levels of transgender women who have not had a gonadectomy and transgender men. Testosterone levels must not be above the normal range for the gender with which the athletes identify and seek to compete. Any level of testosterone above the normal range places the athlete at risk for disqualification and disciplinary action.

(d) At its discretion, the commission may conduct drug testing on all transgender athletes at any time, including immediately before or after scheduled events.

(e) At its discretion, depending on the facts unique to each applicant, the commission may require certain clothing and/or safety equipment that must be used bye applicant in competitions as a condition of licensure.

(f) The commission shall keep medical information and application documentation confidential in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal privacy laws. Only the commission’s counsel, medical advisors and commissioners shall have access to such medical information and application documentation.

(g) Commission representatives shall be educated regarding transgender athletes to ensure their safe and equal participation in activities regulated by the commission.

NOTE: Authority cited: Section 18611, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 18640, 18641, 18642, 18648, 18661 18711 and 18714, Business and Professions Code.

Topics: Boxing, CSAC, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

2 Responses to “The California State Athletic Commission’s upcoming transgender fighter regulations”

  1. […] to compete in MMA. In February, the California State Athletic Commission proposed a new policy that better defined how trans athletes could be licensed to fight, but no other states followed suit to our […]

  2. […] to compete in MMA. In February, the California State Athletic Commission proposed a new policy that better defined how trans athletes could be licensed to fight, but no other states followed suit to our […]

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