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"Sport is by definition exclusive, we don't have 15-year-old boys run against under-12s, we don't have heavyweights fighting bantamweights," Davis said. She said that having different categories and levels is a prerequisite for fair play, and if not, "the only losers are women, who lose their right to fair play." But Athlete Ally, an LGBT advocacy group that wrote a letter supporting swimmer Thomas in February, said FINA's new policy was "discriminatory.
Sexual, harmful, unscientific and inconsistent photo restoration service with the principles of the 2021 International Olympic Committee (IOC).” The organization's policy and program director Annie. Anne Lieberman said the new eligibility rules would only "severely violate the privacy and human rights of any athlete who wants to compete in the women's category." Others said the creation of additional open categories would further exclude an already marginalized group.
Australian swimmer Madeleine Maddie Groves condemned on Twitter: "Everyone who supports this discriminatory and unscientific decision should be ashamed." Joanna is a trans athlete herself at Loughborough University in the UK with a PhD in transgender athletes. Harper (Joanna Harper) also worries that opening categories will actually increase discrimination and marginalization, which is "unlikely" to work.