TRANSGENDER ATHLETE POLICY

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The Broken Arrow Skyrace  does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, physical or mental disability, Veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or gender expression.

 

This policy is intended to facilitate the participation of transgender athletes in a way that respects an individual’s personal rights and dignity in regards to gender identification and/or expression, while simultaneously preserving the integrity of competition for awards and records based on sex.

 

 

While we recognize that there are a variety of perspectives on this issue, the team at Broken Arrow Skyrace is fully committed to supporting the LGBTQIA+ Community and the rights of all humans. This policy has been enacted for the 2021 Broken Arrow Skyrace. As always, we welcome respectful feedback from our community, especially transgender athletes. 

 

 

GENERAL RULES

 

 

• A male-to-female transgender entrant can register for the Broken Arrow Skyrace and compete as as a female, provided the runner has been undergoing continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition for at least one year prior to the race. 

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• A female-to-male transgender entrant can register to compete as a male with no restrictions. The only exception is that female-to-male transgender runners can no longer register to compete as a female if they have begun hormone treatment related to their gender transition that includes testosterone or any other banned substance.

 

 

POLICY ENFORCEMENT

 

 

• A runner’s self-declared gender at registration will be accepted at face value. The sole reason for this policy is to ensure fairness in competition for prize money, age group awards, and records. 

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• The Broken Arrow Skyrace race management team has the sole authority to review any challenge regarding the gender status of a top 10 finisher or age group winner. 

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• There shall be no basis for, nor tolerance of, any challenge to a runner’s self-declared gender unless a top 10 finish or age group award is at stake. Only individuals who may have been directly impacted (by loss of prize money, age group award, or top-10 placing) shall have standing to submit a challenge. Any individual who submits (or attempts to submit) a challenge, which falls outside of these guidelines may be subject, at the discretion of race management, to disciplinary action, including being banned from participating in future Broken Arrow Skyrace events. 

 

• Challenges must be submitted in person and in writing prior to the awards ceremony to any member of the Broken Arrow Skyrace management team. Challenges must be submitted with discretion and with utmost respect for the privacy of all parties involved. Individuals who fail to show appropriate discretion or respect may be subject, at the discretion of race management, to disciplinary action, including being banned from participating in future Broken Arrow Skyrace events. 

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• The Broken Arrow Skyrace management team, in its sole discretion, will determine whether there is a legitimate basis for the challenge prior to the awards ceremony. The individual submitting the challenge will be notified of the ruling prior to the awards ceremony. 

 

 

GENDER STATUS REVIEW

 

 

• In the event of a challenge, the Broken Arrow Skyrace management team may ask the runner for documentation from a medical doctor or healthcare provider or other qualified professional certifying that the entrant has undergone continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition for at least one year prior to the race. 

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• Transgender entrants, at their option, may provide medical documentation related to their gender transition to the Broken Arrow Skyrace management team prior to the race. All information about the runner’s gender identity and medical information, including any information provided pursuant to this policy, shall be kept strictly confidential. Such information will, however, be proactively considered as the results are tabulated. 

 

• If it is determined that the runner is not in compliance with the Broken Arrow Skyrace’s rules for transgender entrants, any top 10 finisher or age group awards shall be forfieted. The Broken Arrow Skyrace will attempt to protect the runner’s privacy to the maximum extent possible.

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• The final decision regarding the entrant’s gender status for registration purposes shall be within the sole discretion of the Broken Arrow Skyrace management team. 

 

 

DRUG TESTING

 

 

• If a transgender runner is selected for drug testing at the Broken Arrow Skyrace and tests positive for a banned substance, it will be considered a legitimate medical use for the purposes of future participation in the Broken Arrow Skyrace if the runner can demonstrate that the banned substance was being taken in connection with the person’s medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition. The only exception is female-to-male transgender entrants who register to compete as a female.

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• For the purposes of USADA, WADA, USATF, WMRA and any other sanctioning bodies, athletes may be subject to sanctions consistent with the policies of these various bodies. As with all Broken Arrow Skyrace participants, transgender athletes have an obligation to understand and adhere to antidoping rules and understand how they may apply to their specific circumstances. 

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DRUG TESTING POLICY

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•  All athletes who participate in National Championships and Team USA competitions are subject to drug testing performed by the(USADA) in accordance with the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing."U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

 

• The Broken Arrow Skyrace is a proud supporter of the Clean Sport initiative, a non-profit partner striving for honesty, transparency and integrity in sport through the absence of performance enhancing drugs. 

 

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