Senior MSPs have criticized the Commonwealth Games Federation after its CEO distanced the organisation from calls to keep female categories at the multi-sport event single-sex.

Last month, at an event confirming Glasgow as the host of the 2026 Games, CEO Katie Sadleir stated that the decision over who could compete in each sport would fall to the respective international governing bodies.

Her comments followed calls in Holyrood from Alba’s Ash Regan to ensure trans women cannot compete in female categories at the multi-sport event.

Asked about these demands, Ms Sadleir told the Herald on Sunday: "Our role is to provide a framework within which international federations develop their own rules and regulations.

“So, when it comes to these issues, we don't get involved in how, for example, rugby manages its sport—it's up to rugby to actually have its rules and regulations for handling these matters. So that's the stance we would be taking."

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The international federations for athletics, cycling, and swimming all ban anyone who has experienced male puberty after the age of 12 from taking part in female categories. 

Weightlifting and netball also have similar biological sex-based restrictions at the international level, but not domestically in the UK.

Judo is the other way around. While the UK's women's category is restricted to biological females, the international federation allows trans women to compete under certain conditions.

In theory, this could allow a transwoman to compete in women's judo events in Glasgow.

There are also no rules against transgender athletes in either bowls or 3x3 basketball.

The only other sport coming to Glasgow is boxing.

There was controversy at the Olympic Games in Paris, over boxers who were included in the female category after allegedly failing sex tests.

Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan both won gold medals, a year after being disqualified from the World Championships.

Testing of the two boxers by the International Boxing Association (IBA)— who run the World Championships — had suggested the presence of XY chromosomes, the male pattern.

However, the IBA was later stripped of world governing body status by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IOC raised concerns about the Russian-led body's governance and the credibility of its sex tests.

They then ended up taking responsibility for organising the boxing in Paris.

The IBA was recognized as the international federation for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, but its status for 2026 is uncertain.

 

(Image: Jane Barlow) Ms Regan hit out at Ms Sadleir's comments. She said: "Given the embarrassing controversy that the International Olympic Committee got embroiled in at the Paris Olympics this year, why would the Commonwealth Games Federation not take the opportunity in Glasgow 2026 to set the bar on the safety, dignity and fairness in women's sports? 

“If we expect girls to be inspired to commit to competitive sports, we must demonstrate that their safety and ambition to succeed are valued. Who else should individual sports federations take their lead from, if not the major games federations? 

“Individual sports do not determine their own doping rules at the games; it is governed by the World Anti-Doping Code.

“Will it take more tragedies, like those already evident in other sports that have allowed mixed sex in the women's category, for those in positions of governance in sports to finally step up to their responsibility for safety, dignity, and fairness in women's sports? The time for leadership is now."

Scottish Conservative shadow equalities minister Tess White said: “It is just common sense that only biological females should compete in women-only events.

“This is about equal opportunity, and we cannot allow female athletes to be pushed aside, which is why I previously led a debate on this vital issue.

“At every level, we are seeing the erosion of fairness and safety in sport and I will always stand up against this.”

Last month, Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, called for the return of mandatory sex testing in sports.

In a report, she said biological men taking part in women’s competitions had so far led to more than 600 female athletes losing 890 medals in 29 different sports. 

“Sports have functioned on the universally recognised principle that a separate category for females is needed to ensure equal, fair and safe opportunities,” Ms Aslalem said. “Multiple studies offer evidence that athletes born male have proven performance advantages in sport throughout their lives, although this is most apparent after puberty.

“Historically, the sex difference in performance is larger than that explained by physiological and anatomical differences between males and females, particularly among lower-ranked athletes.

"These physiological advantages are not undone by testosterone suppression. Undermining the eligibility criteria for single-sex sports results in unfair, unlawful and extreme forms of discrimination against female athletes on the basis of sex.”

Speaking after her Olympic victory, Imane Khelif said she had been a victim of "bullying" and that the IBA "hate me and I really don’t know why".

The 25-year-old added: "I am fully qualified to take part in this competition. I am a woman like any other woman.

"I was born a woman. I have lived as a woman. I competed as a woman - there is no doubt about that."

IOC president Thomas Bach backed the boxer: "What we see now is that some want to own the definition of who is a woman. I can only invite them to come up with a scientific-based, new definition of who is a woman and how can somebody being born, raised, competed, and having a passport as a woman cannot be considered a woman."

The 2026 games were due to be held in Victoria, Australia but they unexpectedly withdrew in July last year after costs hit £3.13bn, far more than the £1.4bn they had expected to spend.

Organisers believe the scaled-back Glasgow games can be delivered for just £114 million with the majority of the funding coming from the £100m compensation paid by the Australians.

The Commonwealth Games Federation has also provided a further £20m, which includes £5m for Glasgow City Council to "utilise for capital upgrades and a cultural programme".

The UK Government has agreed to a "ringfenced contingency" fund of up to £2.3m to be used if existing budget funds and contingency "have been exceeded and all efforts to reduce costs have been exhausted".