Category Archives: News

Trans swimmers are banned from competing in women’s elite events by the sport’s governing body

Swimming’s world governing body has decided to exclude trans athletes from competing in women’s races if they have completed any stage of the male puberty process.

In order to compete in women’s competitions, participants must have completed their transition by the age of 12 under new rules approved today by Fina, swimming’s world governing body.

Fina’s 152 members endorsed the measure with 71% of their votes.

Elite swimming is the first sport to ban transgender athletes from women's races even if they went through male puberty, the international sports federation for swimming announced Sunday.  Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer, is pictured

Swimmers whose gender identity differs from their birth sex will compete in an “open” division, according to the governing organization.

Fina’s new policy will take effect immediately.

Sharron Davies, a former Olympic swimmer, said the ruling gave her ‘pride’ in the sport. She has always advocated for sports equality and justice, and she has spoken out against transgender swimmers in women’s competitions.

Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies MBE, who has advocated for equality and fairness in sport and has spoken out against transgender swimmers in women's races, tweeted of FINA's news

She wrote: “I can’t tell you how proud I am of my sport @fina & @fina_president for doing the science, asking the athletes/coaches, and standing up for fair sport for females. “Swimming will always welcome everyone no matter how you identify but fairness is the cornerstone of sport.”

Scientific experts who advised the Fina panel concluded: “there will be persistent legacy effects that give male-to-female transgender athletes (transgender women) a relative performance advantage over biological females.

Davies (pictured in June 2022) lost out on gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics to East German swimmer Petra Schneider, who was later pinged for doping with performance enhancing drugs, including testosterone

“A biological female athlete cannot overcome that advantage through training or nutrition.

“Nor can they take additional testosterone to obtain the same advantage, because testosterone is a prohibited substance under the World Anti-Doping Code.”

Former UK championship swimmer Karen Pickering posted online: “The FINA transgender policy has been passed by a majority vote by commission members. Based on science and fairness no male who has gone through puberty will be eligible to compete in women’s FINA events or break a Women’s FINA World Record.

“Science proves a retained advantage of height, longer limbs, bigger heart, etc brought on by male puberty regardless of suppression of testosterone after much care and thought for transgender athletes who may not be able to compete in the category they feel their gender ID aligns too but competitive fairness to women’s category must be protected.

The decision was made during FINA's extraordinary general congress on the sidelines of the world championships in Budapest after members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising leading medical, legal and sports figures. Swimmers pictured at the Women's 100m Breaststroke Semi Final on Sunday at the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships

“In addition for eligibility into the women’s category, the swimmer must show proof they haven’t taken blockers after the age of 12.

“I was at the FINA congress for the presentation, discussion and vote and I can vouch for the care and empathy displayed for any athletes who won’t now be able to compete in the category their gender ID may align to.

“The science shows that this is one of the few occasions in a sport where inclusion and fairness are not compatible.”

Lia Thomas, an American swimmer, brought the matter to the public’s attention.

In March, she became the first transgender swimmer to win the women’s 500-yard freestyle at the national college level in the United States.

Hundreds of people submitted letters of support for Lia, while other athletes and organizations have expressed reservations about transgender athletes competing against biological women.

Trans women are not a threat to women’s sport.’

Under the new policy, trans competitors must have completed their transition by the age of 12 to compete in women's races (file image)

In response to Sharron Davies’ tweet celebrating the news, many shared the same view. One wrote: ‘Finally someone in sport has some common sense. No other sports have to follow this example.’

Another said: ‘It should be in all amateur sports as well, not just elite sports,’ and one other similarly added: ‘Now for the other sporting governing bodies.’

Sports scientist Ross Tucker tweeted: ‘Thank you FINA for listening to women, your own swimmers and coaches, and to science in creating a policy that respects women’s sport.’ 

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Legal experts reveal Johnny Depp could take Amber Heard to court for ‘republishing’ her abuse allegations against him in a Today interview

After doubling down on charges that he beat her in a new appearance with the Today show, Amber Heard has opened the way for Johnny Depp to sue her once more, with an expert telling DailyMail.com that her newest statements are grounds for ‘a third case.’

Amber Heard has opened the door for Johnny Depp to sue her once again after she doubled down on claims that he beat her in a new interview with the Today show, an expert said

The actress called the verdict in her defamation trial against Depp ‘unfair,’ and insisted that she will ‘stand by every word of her testimony until the day she dies,’ less than two weeks after she was found guilty of defaming her ex by claiming that he abused her during their marriage,’ during the explosive interview, which was pre-recorded on Thursday in New York City and will air in three parts throughout the week.

During an interview with Today host Savannah Guthrie, the 36-year-old reaffirmed her claims that Depp was physically aggressive towards her during their one-year marriage, accusing him of ‘lying’ on the stand when he said that he ‘never hit her.’

The 36-year-old doubled down on her allegations that Depp was physically violent towards her, and accused him of 'lying' on the stand, while speaking to Today host Savannah Guthrie

Now, entertainment lawyer Nicole Haff of Romano Law in New York has revealed exclusively to DailyMail.com how Heard’s remarks could backfire – and lead to her being sued by the Pirates of the Caribbean star once more.

‘Yes. This interview could count as a new “publication” under the law, which could spur a third lawsuit,’ the attorney explained when asked if Depp could sue Heard for defamation over her Today interview.

According to MincLaw.com, ‘An individual who repeats or republishes defamation will be subject to the same liability as the publisher of the original defamatory material,’ something known as republishing.

'Yes. This interview could count as a new ¿publication¿ under the law, which could spur a third lawsuit,' the attorney explained, when asked if this was grounds for another defamation trial

‘A defamatory statement is considered “published” when it is communicated either intentionally, with actual malice or reckless disregard, or negligently, to someone other than the person being defamed,’ the company added. ‘The statement must also be reasonably understood by the recipient to be false.’

However, Haff added that she isn’t sure it would be a smart move for Depp to pursue a third trial against Heard, adding: ‘Heard’s lawyers have already stated that she cannot pay the original judgment.’

After the trial concluded on June 1, Heard’s lawyer Elaine Bredehoft told the Today show that the star ‘absolutely’ couldn’t pay Depp the full amount of money.

Heard and Depp battled it out to determine if a 2018 Washington Post essay written by Heard, in which she accused the actor of domestic abuse, defamed Depp (seen  in court on April 20)

Depp also sued The Sun in the United Kingdom in 2020 for calling him a ‘wife abuser’ in response to Heard’s claims, but he lost the case.

Despite the fact that a jury found her ex-husband guilty on three counts of defamation against him in the recent trial, Heard refused to back down from her accusations of abuse against him while speaking to the Today show, blasting Depp as a “liar” and repeating her claims that he beat her during their marriage.

‘He said he never hit you. Is that a lie?’ Guthrie, questioned during the interview, to which Heard responded bluntly: ‘Yes it is.’

She added: ‘To my dying day, I will stand by every word of my testimony.’

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Amber Heard Challenges Johnny Depp To Do His Own Interview After He Responded To Hers

Despite a jury deciding that she previously defamed Johnny Depp and owes him millions as a result, Amber Heard’s counsel maintained her right to continue speaking out against him.

Heard discussed the decision with NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie for the first time since the trial, and a spokeswoman for Depp accused her of ‘repeating, reimagining, and re-litigating topics that have already been resolved.’

Amber Heard challenges Johnny Depp to do a TV interview

Heard’s spokesperson has now dared the Pirates of the Caribbean star to come forward and be interviewed.

The spokesperson told DailyMail.com: “If Mr. Depp or his team have a problem with this, we recommend that Johnny himself sit down with Savannah Guthrie for an hour and answer all her questions.”

In a defamation lawsuit, Depp sued his ex-wife Heard for $50 million for domestic abuse charges she made in a 2018 piece in The Washington Post, and she counterclaimed for $100 million.

Despite the fact that the story did not name Depp, his lawyers said it implied that he physically and sexually abused the Aquaman actor while they were together.

Amber Heard says she will stand by her testimony to her 'dying day' - CNN

Depp was given $10.35 million in damages after the jury found that what Heard wrote in her op-ed essay was defamatory.

In an interview with Today, Heard expressed concern that her ex-husband would pursue legal action against her.

When Guthrie asked whether she was nervous about what she can now say, she replied: “Of course. I took for granted what I assumed was my right to speak.”

Guthrie then questioned her over whether she felt she could be sued for defamation again.

Heard replied: “I am scared that, no matter what I do, no matter what I say or how I say it, every step that I take will present another opportunity for silencing, which I guess is what a defamation lawsuit is meant to do – it is meant to take your voice.”

Amber Heard says she stands by every word of testimony in 1st interview  since Johnny Depp libel verdict | CBC News

Guthrie also asked whether Depp’s claim that he never hit her was a lie, to which she answered: “Yes it is.”

Responding to the interview, a spokesperson for Depp said: “It’s unfortunate that while Johnny is looking to move forward with his life, the defendant and her team are back to repeating, reimagining and re-litigating matters that have already been decided by the court and a verdict that was unequivocally decided by a jury in Johnny’s favor.”

Amber Heard issues challenge to Johnny Depp | news.com.au — Australia's  leading news site

After meeting on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary, Depp and Heard began dating and married in 2015. The following year, Heard got a restraining order against Depp, and the couple divorced in 2017.

Depp lost a libel case against The Sun in 2020 over an article in which he was referred to as a “wife-beater.”

All charges of abuse have been refuted by him.

Source: unilad.co