COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, USA – World Lacrosse today announced a partnership with the U.S.-based National Center for Transgender Equality with the goal of developing a trans-inclusive participation policy for the sport’s international governing body. Established in 2003, NCTE advocates for change to policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people.
World Lacrosse and NCTE commence work this week, with the aim of having a policy in place by the end of the year that promotes a safe and welcoming environment for everyone involved in the sport.
Initial stakeholder engagement will take place during the 2022 World Lacrosse General Assembly later this month in Towson, Maryland, USA, and will be followed by ongoing consultation with the sport’s extensive global membership and athlete body throughout the remainder of the year.
The process is being driven by the World Lacrosse Diversity & Opportunity Commission, which was established in 2020 and is chaired by Sabah Cambrelen, the WL board director of diversity & inclusion. Representation from both the WL Women in Sport Commission and the WL Athletes’ Commission will also be involved in building the policy.
The updated code will replace World Lacrosse’s existing Gender Determination Policy that allowed participation by transgender women based on testosterone levels in line with previous International Olympic Committee guidelines.
The new policy will be guided by the IOC Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations that was released late last year and is built on principals of inclusion and non-discrimination with the belief that everyone has a right to safely participate in sport while maintaining fair competition.
World Lacrosse President Sue Redfern said: “World Lacrosse aims to progressively advance our sport in a way that fits our modern and ever-evolving society. We will engage in this partnership with an open and inclusive mindset, putting any past assumptions or outdated principles aside, while drawing on knowledge from leading experts in close consultation with our athletes.”
NCTE Executive Director Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen said: “”This partnership between World Lacrosse and NCTE is a groundbreaking opportunity for our organizations to work together to craft an updated inclusion policy that will ensure that all lacrosse players are able to continue to enjoy the sport that they love for years to come. Lacrosse can be an example to other sports on how to create an environment of mutual respect, dignity and fairness for all.”
