Olympian Sharron Davies has given her vocal backing to Tess White, as the Scottish Conservative MSP leads a parliamentary debate today (Tuesday) on the importance of safe and fair sport for women and girls.
Tess’ members’ business motion – which has received cross-party support – comes in the wake of controversy over the gender eligibility of two competitors in women’s boxing at the Paris Olympics during the summer.
The North East MSP is calling for single-sex categories for women in sport, from grassroots to elite level, to be protected – as a matter of safety, fairness and common sense.
Sharron, the UK’s top female swimmer throughout the 1980s and an Olympic silver medallist, has long argued that biological sex is a crucial criterion in ensuring that female athletes are not disadvantaged or put at risk.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Tess White MSP said: “It is fantastic to have Sharron’s support on the vital issue of women and girls’ safety in sport, because she is hugely respected for her principled campaigning on this topic.
“Most of the public think it’s simple common sense that only biological females should be allowed to compete in women-only competitions.
“It is about equality of opportunity – we must never allow female athletes to be marginalised.
“Yet, from parkrun to the Paralympics, we are seeing the erosion of fair and safe sport for women – and that’s why we must all stand up against this.
“I hope the majority of MSPs from other parties, who voted for the SNP’s gender self-ID policy in parliament, grasp that, and back my motion.”
Sharron Davies MBE said: “Over the last few years, with the inclusion of males in sports categories specifically created to give females equal opportunities, thousands of males have stolen female places.
“Not one single peer-reviewed study shows us how we can remove all-male advantage.
“Males of equal weight and size punch 160% harder onto a less dense bone structure. In a combat sport this is a huge accident waiting to happen. In any contact sport, it is gross negligence.
“Men would not tolerate this inclusion if it affected their sports, but women are just expected to give up what is theirs by right.
“A female-protected category and an open, fully inclusive category is the only answer.”
Notes to editors
Link to Tess White’s motion: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/votes-and-motions/S6M-14496