BF BOARD APPROVES GENDER POLICIES FOR LICENSED EVENTS

Following a 12 month review process, the BF Board has approved the BF Gender Policies for Compete and Recreational BF Licensed Events, replacing the previous Competition Gender Policy.

BF Gender Policies to take effect from 1st January 2025.

British Fencing (BF) believes that there is a place for everyone in our sport. We remain committed to creating inclusive competition and training environments, ensuring there is a place in our sport for everyone to participate.

As a combat sport, we are proud of the mixed age, gender and ability environments that so many of our clubs already offer. At the same time, we must also take into account the latest data and research to ensure fair competition.

The previous BF Competition Gender Policy is based on the previous International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendations for Olympic sport and uses testosterone levels to determine eligibility. Following changes to the IOC framework recommendations and new guidance from the UK Sport Councils , BF initiated a review of its existing Competition Gender Policy.

As part of this review BF consulted with members, community groups and experts to determine whether the existing policy was reflective of the current research and guidelines in this area.

In July 2023 the University of Hertfordshire published a narrative review of the scientific evidence: “The Participation of Trans Women in Competitive Fencing and Implications on Fairness: A Physiological Perspective Narrative Review“.

The twelve-month policy review was led by an internal working group, made up of a broad range of representatives from across fencing.

BF’s extensive consultation exercise sought the views of a wide variety of groups:

1. Individual Members age 16 and over – All BF members age 16 and over were invited to participate in a survey run by University of Hertfordshire with BF only receiving anonymised results. Within the survey there were opportunities for members to make their views known via freeform comment fields and to provide links to additional published research.
2. Individual Members under the age of 16, affiliated clubs, Home Nations and other representative bodies in the fencing community were invited to submit their views direct to BF online.
3. Non Members (Individuals and Organisations) – Non member individuals who do not participate in fencing activities and other unaffiliated interested organisations were also encouraged to submit their views.

In addition to the above:

1. A sample of members, including trans and non-binary identifying members was selected by researchers for deeper qualitative research/interview. To ensure anonymity, the interviews were undertaken by independent researchers who anonymised the interviews and shared the key findings with BF.
2. BF also offered the opportunity for specific interest groups to meet with us to share their thoughts and hear the diverse views of different groups

The working group considered a wide range of policy options in light of the current medical science and input from all the mechanisms described above. The practical changes and support needed to ensure successful implementation were also assessed in consideration of the recommendations arising from the independent review. The review process was managed by an independent governance expert and supported by external legal advice.

POLICY UPDATE

The review has led to three new policies being created:

• Policy for Competitive Activity which covers Compete Licensed events
• Policy for International Competition (including GBR selection)
• Policy for Recreational Activity which covers Recreational Licensed events

The final versions of the Polices were discussed by the Board at its meeting on 12th September and approved on 18th September.

Following this Board decision the expectation is to have implemented the policies in full by the end of December 2024. We will be providing further information on our exact implementation plan to our members, clubs and event organisers.

Members (and the public) are welcome to submit implementation questions and comments so these can be considered as part of the process.

The policies will be reviewed in late 2026 after a pilot phase which includes one full competitive season. We will continue to keep under review the implementation of the policies during the pilot phase. The opportunity to provide feedback will be made available throughout the pilot phase via the relevant feedback form.

Summary Gender Policy for Licensed Competitive Activity

The Gender Policy for Licensed Competitive Activity covers all British Fencing compete licensed events. It will see the implementation of an ‘Mixed’ category alongside a ‘Female’ category. This means that the current men’s category will be consolidated into a ‘Mixed’ (also termed Mixed/Men’s) category.

Note: while other sports have used the term ‘Open’ we will not be doing so due to the widespread existing use of the word ‘Open’ in fencing as the descriptor for an Open Senior Ranking competition.

Transgender women, transgender men, non-binary individuals and those whose sex at birth was male will be eligible to compete in the ‘Mixed’ (also termed ‘Mixed/Men’s’ category. The ‘Female’ category will remain in place for participants who were female sex at birth who have not started female to male hormone treatment.

Once transgender men start hormone treatment, they will be eligible to compete in the ‘Mixed’ category only and should ensure that they continue to adhere to the requirements of UK Anti-Doping.

All those whose sex was female at birth are also able to compete in the ‘Mixed’ category if they so wish.

Summary Gender Policy for International Competitive Activity

Should there be any ‘International Events’ delivered in the UK on behalf of a continental or world governing body (e.g. EFC, FIE, or IWAS), the respective governing body gender policy will take precedence.

Any GBR selections for female/women’s events sanctioned by EFC, FIE or IWAS (whether hosted in the UK or not) will follow the BF policy for selection eligibility – namely that eligibility will be restricted to female sex at birth athletes who have not started female to male hormone treatment.

Summary Gender Policy for Recreational Activity

The Gender Policy for Recreational Activity re-asserts our commitment to inclusion for trans and non-binary fencers across our recreational activities.  Generally trans and non-binary people may participate in line with their gender identities.

Trans and non-binary people can also continue to participate in a broad range of British Fencing activities in line with their gender identities, including: club and coach-led activities, GB League and community programmes.

Organisers may have valid reasons for holding events at which they limit participation to a particular group and BF does not prohibit organisers from doing so. However, BF will not tolerate discriminatory or intolerant behaviours.

More information can be found in the Policies document here.

IMPLEMENTING THE NEW POLICIES

We have created a set of FAQs to help the community understand and implement the policies, to which we will add further questions and their answers based on feedback.

These FAQs are available here: Policy Implementation FAQs

We will continue to provide further information for event organisers, clubs, coaches and community programme volunteers, through written updates and webinars, as we move into the implementation phase.

You can also submit any question about the policies here: Submit a Question

British Fencing CEO, Georgina Usher said, ‘Our new policies are the product of a twelve-month review process, with the ambition to promote fair competition whilst ensuring opportunities for all to participate in fencing in positive and welcoming environments.

We understand that our new policies may have an impact on our trans and non-binary fencers and as such we commit that we commit to two things:

We will assess the impact of these policies in 2026 and the medical science develops and will continue to invite those impacted to be an integral part of those conversations.

We will also continue to ensure that our recreational activities provide a positive and welcoming environment, where everyone can feel they belong irrespective of their sex, sexuality, gender identity, religion or beliefs and are respected in our community, and take action to eradicate any discrimination from the sport.

I’d finally like to thank everyone who has supported this process over the past 12 months to ensure that we reached our decision in the right way. This includes all members of the working group, our members that responded to our survey and all those who participated in our consultation.”

BF welcomes questions on the implementation of these Policies which can be submitted using this form.

BF urges any person involved with fencing who has experienced or witnessed harassment and abuse in the sport to report it immediately using the welfare reporting form here.

Concerns regarding non-compliance with these (and any other) Policies can also be reported using this form or sent to [email protected]. Breaches of these Policies will be handled under the BF Disciplinary Policy.

BF continue to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to harassment, bullying and discrimination, and will not hesitate to take action on any breaches of our Code of Conduct, including our zero-tolerance approach to all cases of discriminatory language or behaviour. If you are subject to or aware of instances of such behaviour, please report these directly to BF here.

Disclaimer – this news post is not the Policies document and the actual Policies document should be referred to.