The term trans is an umbrella term, with which many people who transition identify with, to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.
Transitioning does not have to involve any medical supervision, however the term gender reassignment (Equality Act2010) generally refers to some form of medical intervention and as a result is a term of contention for the trans community. For example, a person who chooses to reaffirm their gender may do so by telling family and friends, changing formal documents or presenting differently and may not involve hormone therapy or surgery.
The Gender Recognition Act (2004) provides trans people with legal recognition of their transition, subject to some specified exceptions which can affect elite level athletes.
The guidelines for international competition have been superseded by recent changes to the IOC guidelines. You can find the IOC guidelines by following this link. The Sport Councils Equality Group are reviewing their guidelines for international competition and will be updating these alongside adding more resources.
We have also provided links to organisations that provide information, training and support and can find a link to our Trans Inclusion Policy via this link.
Other usefull links
