Transgender women temporarily banned from female chess events as FIDE undertakes 'thorough analysis'

The International Chess Foundation (FIDE) has temporarily banned transgender women from competing in official women's events.

The International Chess Foundation (FIDE) has temporarily banned transgender women from competing in official women's events.

The governing body will carry out "thorough analysis" and a decision could take up to two years.

The new regulations will come into effect on August 21, although transgender players can still compete in the 'open' categories of tournaments.

FIDE said: "In the event that the gender was changed from a male to a female, the player has no right to participate in official FIDE events for women until further FIDE's decision is made.

"FIDE recognizes that this is an evolving issue for chess and that besides technical regulations on transgender regulations further policy may need to be evolved in the future in line with research evidence."

In an emailed statement to Reuters on Thursday, a FIDE spokesperson said the decision was made to better define the processes involved when a player changes gender.

Sports including athletics, swimming and cycling have tightened their participation rules for transgender women in elite female competitions but chess does not require such high levels of physical activity.

The statement said. "The transgender legislation is rapidly developing in many countries and many sport bodies are adopting their own policies. FIDE will be monitoring these developments and see how we can apply them to the world of chess.

"Two years is a scope of sight that seemed reasonable for the thorough analyses of such developments. It is to set a certain deadline for a new reiteration of these policies, without rushing it."

UK MP Angela Eagle, a joint winner of the British Girls' Under-18 Chess Championship in 1976, said the ban was "ridiculous and offensive to women".

Quoted on the BBC website, Eagle said: "There is no physical advantage in chess unless you believe men are inherently more able to play than women - I spent my chess career being told women's brains were smaller than men's and we shouldn't even be playing. This ban is ridiculous and offensive to women."

Woman Grandmaster and two-time US Women's Champion Jennifer Shahade told ESPN: "At a time where the chess world finally reckons with sexual assault and harassment, FIDE has announced a policy restricting the rights of transgender players, an important and vulnerable portion of our community.

"This is all a scary manifestation of the links between misogyny and transphobia and I hope that the policies be reconsidered and revised."

In response to ESPN, FIDE's deputy of management board, Dana Reizniece-Ozola, wrote: "Allow us to clarify that the new regulations are aimed at clearly defining the procedure on how a person who has officially changed their gender may register the fact on FIDE Directory".

Reizniece-Ozola added that the "lack of regulations" created "ambiguity and therefore an established order was needed to provide the right of the transgender players being properly represented on the official register of FIDE."