A male runner was recorded in the female category at Saturday’s Pride Run 10K after England Athletics stepped in over the race’s gender self-identification policy.
Susie O’Connor, a male runner who identifies as a woman, completed the race in Victoria Park, East London, in 1hr 17min 43sec.
Provisional results recorded O’Connor as “Female” and placed him in the “Vet Women 60+” category.
The race was licensed by England Athletics and therefore required to follow UK Athletics rules. Since April 2023, athletes who have undergone male puberty have been ineligible for the female category.
O’Connor also appeared twice in the race system under different numbers. A second entry – also recorded as “Female” and “Vet Women 60+” – was marked “not started”.
The result comes after [Un]Captured revealed that guidance on the Pride Run website had told participants they could register according to their gender identity rather than their sex.
The website also offered “trans women” the option of withholding their results from England Athletics – including by contacting organisers after the race to have them withdrawn.
The guidance disappeared last month after concerns were raised with the organisers and England Athletics.
An email seen by [Un]Captured from the England Athletics safeguarding lead said the governing body had “met with the organisers and the issues raised have been resolved”.
England Athletics subsequently said it was aware of “an error” in the information published on the event website and that it had been corrected.
A spokesperson told[Un]Captured: “We continue to work with the organisers to ensure all aspects comply with UK Athletics Rules and the associated England Athletics Licence Standards.”
Former British Olympic marathon runner Mara Yamauchi said: “It is disgraceful but sadly unsurprising that organisers London Frontrunners have allowed this, given their recent efforts to undermine UKA rules by encouraging men to run in the F category and then hide the evidence. England Athletics need to show a shred of leadership and backbone, and not just disqualify this man from this race but ban him from all future events that it licenses.”
Yamauchi added: “O’Connor finishing well down the field is irrelevant. He is male and therefore ineligible for the Female category.”
A spokesperson for SEEN in Sport said: “We understand that a male athlete competed in the female category at yesterday’s Pride Run 10K. If confirmed, this breaches the conditions of the race’s UKA licence.
The organisers must comply with the applicable England Athletics and UKA rules. The athlete’s result should not be submitted to England Athletics nor be recorded in the female results as a female performance.”
England Athletics and the organisers of the Pride Run 10k were approached for comment.
One Response
The rules are toothless, and indeed entirely pointless, if they’re not complied with. This rule breach actively discriminates against large numbers of women, and should be rectified with the appropriate punishment.