'It's persecution': Transgender sprinter says he doesn't 'understand' why he can't compete against women in the Olympics

A French transgender sprinter criticized the World Athletics Council's decision to ban men from competing in women's international track and field events, which will prevent the sprinter from competing in the Olympics.

Halba Diouf, who was born male but identifies as a female Muslim, took issue with the international body's ruling that went into effect on March 31, 2023.

"Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations," said Sebastian Coe, the council's president.

Diouf, of course, disagreed with the council's decision.

"Even if we are a minority, we deserve to live freely, to lead a free life, deserve to take part in competitions and to compete in our category, and we are being refused that," Diouf said in an interview with Reuters.

"The only safeguard transgender women have is their right to live as they wish, and we are being refused that," Diouf continued. "For me it's persecution. I don't quite understand," he added.

"I cannot understand this decision, as transgender women have always been allowed to compete if their testosterone levels were below a certain threshold," Diouf also claimed, according to TalkTV.

Diouf's endocrinologist supported the transgender athlete's claims and said that the 21-year-old's blood samples showed that Diouf is "a woman, from a physiological, hormonal, and legal point of view."

"Her testosterone levels are currently below those found on average in women who were born as women," the specialist cited.

Diouf changed his legal gender after undergoing hormone therapy in 2021, which was recognized by French authorities.

In early May 2023, Diouf controversially competed in and won the women's 200-meter race in Nice, France.

"Halba Diouf, who identifies as a transgender Muslim woman, won the race in record time 22”67 (+2.0 m/s)," read a post by Oli London, a man who formerly identified as a transgender woman.

"The record time makes Diouf the 9th best running performer for 200m in French women’s running history," the post concluded.

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