World Aquatics to debut ‘open category’ races for transgender swimmers in Berlin

BERLIN (AP) — World Aquatics says the first “open category” swimming races to accommodate transgender competitors will take place at a World Cup event in Berlin in October. The sport’s governing body says “this pioneering pilot project highlights the organization’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity.” The governing body had previously banned transgender competitors from major events like the Olympics and world championships but said it was committed to creating an open category for all swimmers when it first adopted its “gender inclusion policy” last year during the worlds in Budapest, Hungary. Berlin’s competition is scheduled to take place from Oct. 6-8.