WA originally planned to debut the open category in July in Fukuoka, Japan, during its congressional meeting but later decided against it. The organization announced its new “gender inclusion policy” in 2022, which made it possible to create the “open category” for future competitions and required male athletes looking to compete in the female division to have transitioned and experienced no puberty symptoms before the age of 12, as well maintaining regular testosterone levels below 2.5 nanomoles per liter.

“When World Aquatics instituted its Policy on Eligibility for the Men’s and Women’s Competition Categories, we committed to exploring the creation of an open category,” World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam said, according to the press release. “True to our word, a team of experts has diligently worked to make this a reality. I would like to thank all those who have helped World Aquatics to deliver this opportunity.”

Other sport governing bodies have opted to not allow transgender athletes to compete in divisions outside of their biological sex, such as the International Cycling Union, which announced in July that males who had transitioned after puberty could not compete in the female category. The International Angling Sports Federation made a similar decisionon Sept. 29 after England’s team said that it would boycott the world championship if men were allowed to compete with women.