Important Update on Athlete Classification

In accordance with the recent landmark ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and in solidarity with international sanctioning bodies, we have implemented an important change in the classification of athletes that will affect competition at PACE Multisport Dodge City X on September 7, 2019.

After much scrutiny and debate, and with the primary objective of ensuring fairness in sport, athletes competing in our Standard and Sprint events on September 7 will no longer be classified as either male or female. These archaic categories will instead be replaced with two new categories: TU5 and T5+.

Athletes competing in the TU5 category will be those with testosterone levels of less than nanomoles per litre of blood as determined by a mandatory test, which will be conducted one week prior to competition. Athletes with testosterone levels of 5 nanomoles per litre or higher will compete in the The T5+ category.

Note that standard age group classifications will still apply, and that our relay competition will continue to use the old “gendered” classifications since the relay is not an internationally sanctioned event. We will, however, be appointing an ombudsman shortly for any athletes who feel the traditional relay classification unfairly impacts their performance and who wish to lodge a formal complaint.

Details about the mandatory blood testing will be announced shortly.

If you have any objections to this new classification system, rest assured that we are not, in any way, serious about this announcement. We are not making any changes to athlete classification. However, in light of the very real CAS ruling setting arbitrary testosterone limits that determine athlete classification, we feel that an announcement like this is the logical next step.

What do you think?